^60 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF OAK, 



abundant shelter from the effects whether of Winds- 

 or frosts. As soon as these shoots are of sufficient 

 height to shelter one another, the nurses may be cut 

 down ; their stools will be sheltered in their turn by 

 the young crop which has just got up around them ; 

 and thus the whole will have the advantage of un- 

 interrupted protection from the injuries of the wea- 

 ther. 



Coppice is generally sold on the ground, and is 

 cut down by the purchaser; and it may therefore be 

 objected that the mode of proceeding just explained, 

 would be productive of much vexation and incon- 

 venience. That it would occasion, at least the first 

 time it was put in practice, some degree of trouble, 

 is readily confessed ; but the difficulties connected 

 with it bear so small a proportion to its advantages, 

 as to form no just ground of rejecting it and perse- 

 vering in the common plan. There is surely nothing 

 insurmountable in counting the number of stools 

 contained in any given extent of coppice, or in mak- 

 ing the buyer aware how many of these the proprie- 

 tor wishes to be saved from the axe. An intending 

 purchaser on being told that the produce of one- 

 eighth, one-ninth, one-tenth, or any other propor- 

 tion of the stools, was to be left standing for the 

 purpose of shelter, would know as well what he 



