The New Forest. 
279 
;in extensive and regular scale, so as to include from 1808 to 
1851, 7200 acres. In the last-named year the Deer-removal 
Act was passed, by which the Crown acquired the right of 
planting 10,000 additional acres, in consideration of giving up 
the right to keep deer ; so that now there is authority, under 
King William III.'s legislation and that of 1851, to enclose 
and plant on behalf of the Crown 16,000 acres. But, out of this 
available total, only about 6000 are actually enclosed at the 
present moment, being in various conditions, from the large and 
flourishing nursery at Rhinefield, where the oaks are as big as 
your little finger, to the old .abodes of the patriarchal monarchs of 
the wood elsewhere. About 700 acres are planted annually. No 
particular acreage is cleared annually. The value of the oak sup- 
plied to the navy, for eleven years past, is 70,000/. Scotch fir is 
found to afford the best protection to the young oak in the new 
plantations. Larch is here not so good a nurse, probably because 
it does not thrive in the Forest. Deodaras are being tried by 
way of experiment. The cost of planting is very materially 
reduced by the use of a new tool, called the planting-spade, 
which heaves up the soil, so that the tree can be let in, when a 
tread of the foot completes the operation. No pits are made. 
The planting is, very properly, not job work : other work, very 
properly, is, as far as possible. 
Experiments have been made as to the pruning of timber-trees, 
and the results are against any interference with the oak. There 
are two descriptions of oak in the Forest — the Quercus peduncu- 
lata, and Q. sessiflora. In the first the acorn is supported on a 
long peduncle or stalk, which is its chief distinguishing feature : 
this is the staple tree of the country. The other, the fruit of 
which is sessile or stalkless, and clustered, arrives at maturity 
earlier, and, as might be expected from its more rapid growth, 
is less esteemed for ship-building. Beeches are found in many 
parts, especially about Burley Rails. There are two descriptions 
of furze — the long and the bed ; many ferns ; two heaths (the 
purple and the pink) ; and one ling (the pink). Rhododendrons 
grow wild in Minstead, favoured partly by the peaty soil, chiefly 
by the mild climate. 
The Forest used to be notable for breeds of New Forest 
ponies and pigs : indeed any one would have referred to these 
two animals as characteristic of the county, and a credit to the 
Forest. The ponies are no longer ponies, they are ugly gal- 
loways, with big heads. They have lost that action and form 
for which they used to be celebrated, and are still degenerating, 
in spite of efforts made by the Crown and by private persons. 
Arabian stallions have been kept by the Crown and by Mr, 
Alexander Elphinstone, of Chuten Glen ; but the foresters did 
