79 



acre of coppice, at each fall ; together with a due 

 proportion of younger branches for succession ; and 

 were at the same time restricted from cutting any of 

 the former, till they should measure forty inches in 

 circumference, at five feet from the ground. 



In many parts in the Highlands of Scotland, and 

 particularly in Ireland, woods suffer much by the 

 hands of the pilferer, particularly so in all places where 

 coals are high in price, and other kinds of fuel scarce 5 

 in many places great mischief is done by wantonness 

 to young plantations ; and wherever this is the case, 

 it really should be punished to the utmost. The 

 following Acts of Parliament, so far back as 1685, 

 which may not be generally known, well deserves a 

 place here, as it shows very strongly the regard our 

 ancestors had for the protecting and rearing of 

 w^oods, &c. : — 



Copy of Acts of* Parliament regarding the destroying 

 of Trees. 



Act of Parliament, 1685, cap. 39, it is inter alia, 

 statuted and ordained, " That no person shall cut, 

 break or pull up any tree, or peel the bark off any 

 tree, under the penalty of ten pounds Scots, (l6s. 

 8d.) for each tree within ten years old, and twenty 

 pounds Scots, (L.l, 13s. 4d.) for every tree above 

 that age. The havers and users of the timber of any 

 tree so cut, broken, or pulled up, are declared liable 

 to the same penalty, unless they can produce the per- 

 son from whom they got it. And if the person con- 

 victed be not able to pay the fine, he is decerned to 

 work a day for each half mark contained in the fine, 

 to the heritor whose plantation has been cut down or 

 broken." 



