330 
Farminfi of Hampsldre. 
worth enclosino^ for ajyricultural purposes, tliougli there is much 
worth planting with Scotch fir and larch. But the very mention 
of an enclosure in Hampshire suggests to the mind the greatest 
work of this kind yet remaining to be done in England. 
12. Improvements in the New Forest are a very difficult ques- 
tion. There are those who recommend that it should be enclosed 
for agricultural purposes, just like any ordinary common. Their 
reasons are that as a nursery of timber for naval purposes, it is not 
worth preserving in its present state, the whole annual value of the 
timber supplied to the navy, on an average of the last eleven 
years, being no more than 6363Z. ; that as a common, the best 
farmers never use it, preferring good blood to bad keep ; that 
those who do use it would be largely benefited by the increased 
employment consequent on its enclosure ; and that the rights of 
the present commoners would be defined by commutation. 
But he would be a man bold to rashness who would accept as 
a gift a thousand acres round Burley Beacon, on condition of 
enclosing and cultivating it. Half of the 63,000 acres are not 
worth Is. Qd. per acre. However, every argument is in favour 
of in some way utilising the New Forest— in this densely-popu- 
lated old country we cannot afford to throw away 63,000 acres 
in picturesque woods and wastes — and as an alternative it may 
be suggested that this land, so ill-suited to agricultural purposes, 
should be sold, as it is, for i^csidential sites. 
We have so little woodland scenery in this populous and highly- 
cultivated land, and yet we have such a natural and inherited love 
of the country, with its manly sports, its invigorating pursuits, its 
local administrative business, and its general political influence, 
that capitalists from our cities would give large sums, in this 
climate, for blocks of this forest, on which to build mansions, pro- 
vided the trees are left standing, and there is some securiti/ for the 
continuance of sylvan scenery. The timber is invaluable as orna- 
ment, which is worth next to nothing when felled. Some fine 
beeches are at this moment being thrown at Burley Rails, which, 
standing, are beautiful, priceless pictures, but felled barely worth 
bOs. apiece. Probably they will go as firewood to those who have 
fuel rights. If anything be done, it must be done quickly, for the 
destruction of fine timber daily going on will soon render this 
kind of improvement impossible. The preservation of the wood- 
land scenery is essential to the success of any such scheme. The 
value of the Forest is now in process of rapid annihilation, under 
the laudable intention of turning it to account.* The destruc- 
* I have mentioned the names of different gentlemen as having supplied me 
with information about the Forest. To guard against possible misapprehen- 
sion, 1 must state that these views are mine, and not theirs. 
