264 Agricultural Capabilities of the New Forest. 
mentions Curdridge Common, Waltliam Chase, Durley Common, 
besides twelve acres attached to the New Forest Union. He adds — 
" Tlic grey sand and the white pebble are the poorest soils, but when properly 
treated, often ja-ove the Ijest for the growth of tir. I know land which has a 
poorer appearance than any in the New Forest cultivated for fir of various 
kinds, proves most successful — in the neighbourhood of Bagshot in par- 
ticular. Tlie cost will vary according to the nature of the work in grubbing. 
The wood land, if thickly planted with timber, would cost V>1. or 11. per 
annum for grubbing, wliile the heath and furze could be done for less — about 
41. or 5?., and a great portion could be broken up with a strong i)lough and four 
horses. I should judge that the average cost of first breaking would be about 
51. per acre, the after horse-labour about 21. or 3/. — altogether about 8^. jier 
acre to complete a seed-bed. A great portion of the surface should be burnt, 
which I know from experience is the best course to pursue." 
In the xvith volume of this Journal there is an excellent 
practical paper, by the Right Hon. J. E. Dcnison (Speaker of 
the House of Commons), on the subject of breaking up and 
cultivating woodlands in Nottinghamshire. The experience of 
tbe writer as well as that of his steward, Mr. Huskinson, shows 
a considerable profit on the practice, which, however, is en- 
hanced by the high price of corn which prevailed about sixteen 
years ago, and also by the fact that in most of the instances 
detailed the land was of excellent quality and worth afterwards a 
good rental as corn land. The expenses are given at about 15/. 
or 111. per acre, including draining with pipes and trenching 
10 inches deep. The grubbing itself is put in one case at G/. \os., 
and in an estimate by Mr. Huskinson at 8Z. 5s., including stub- 
bing, digging, and trenching the land. Eight pounds per acre, 
or Is. per rod, is about the expense of grubbing old woods in this 
neighbourhood : the value of the roots, or rather the ashes derived 
from their burning, goes some way towards compensating for this 
cost. In a paper read before the Botley Farmers' Club last year, 
by Mr. Joseph Blundell, details are given of the expenses of 
breaking up woodlands in various localities. In one case grub- 
ting is put at 10/. per acre and chalking at 4/. This includes 
the removal of the roots of the timber as well as that of the under- 
wood. In another case, where the timber was left, the cost of 
grubbing the underwood between it was 6/. per acre. In Mr, 
Denison's case some expense was saved by avoiding the felling 
of the timber in the ordinary way, but making the grubbing the 
roots accomplish both purposes. It is much to be hoped that 
steam will be brought to bear on the practice of grubbing, and 
so materially reduce its expense. 
Mr. Joseph Blundell, partner in the firm of Blundell and 
Palmer, land-agents, Southampton, has taken a great interest in 
ihe subject of the New Forest, and entertains very sanguine 
opinions as to the economical results that would follow its being 
