Improvements. 
307 
Kimblcs, Ellesborougli, Long Creadon, Great Horvvood, Shenley 
Common, Latchmere Field in Chalfont St. Peter, Marsh Gibbon, 
and Little Missenden. The imdermentioned parishes have 
tracts of land amounting to nearly GOOO acres which are now 
under the powers of the Inrlosure Commissioners: — Great Mis- 
senden, Penn, llitchenden, Great ]\Iarlow, Cheddington, Pitstone, 
Shenley, Hughenden, Halton, and Wendover. 
The principal wastes are to be found on the Chiltern Hills, 
especially on the southern side, where most of them are so barren 
that they would not pay for cultivation, though the great ma- 
jority might answer in plantation. Beech trees appear indi- 
genous to the chalks, for they cover the liills to the south of 
the county. The beech-wood is of little value for agricultural 
purposes, and is principally used for making chairs. A most 
extensive manufacture is carried on at and around Wycombe ; 
and at Chesham quantities of bowls, shovels, hoops, &c., are 
made from this wood. There are not many large woods about 
other parts of the county. Whaddon Chase was happily inclosed 
10 or 12 years ago : it produced some good oak and underwood, 
but the latter was much injured by the stock which the com- 
moners from several adjoining parishes turned into the Chase. 
A great portion is now grubbed. The soil is clay with a large 
admixture of sand in some parts, and the greatest benefit has 
accrued to the proprietors and the farming of the neighbourhood 
from the inclosure. 
Buckinghamshire suffers but little from hedgerow timber and 
small inclosures. To the north of Buckingham too many worth- 
less ash cumber some of the arable fields ; but from one end of 
the county to the other there exists the barbarous custom of 
lopping off all the branches from the hedge-row timber, and 
leaving only a bunch of leaves at the extreme top, the tree thus 
presenting the appearance of a household mop. The bad taste 
and stupidity of this plan are obvious. The sprigs which are cut 
off will hardly pay the cost of lopping ; the timber is so knotted 
and injured tliat it is fit for nothing but the fire : and instead of 
a tree being a beautifying object, it has a most wretched and 
poverty-stricken look. A few proprietors have rushed into the 
opposite extreme, and will not allow a twig to be touched. 
Branches sprout out at a few feet from the ground to the great 
injury of the land and destruction of the fences. Left in this 
natural state, the trunk furnishes but little timber, and the tree 
looks nothing better than an overgrown bush. No doubt almost 
all hed gerow timber around ploughed land is best grubbed up ; 
but if a few trees are cultivated for profit or ornament, trimming 
them up to a reasonable height enhances at once their beauty 
and their value. 
