274 
Reclaiming of fVaste Lands. 
was executed ; by it the Crown acquired an allotment of 2543 
acres ; this was subsequently increased by purchase and other- 
wise to 2937 acres. Of this portion about 1970 acres were 
unreclaimed forest land, dense, dark, and gloomy; its silence 
seldom disturbed, except by the axe of the woodman, the gun of 
the gamekeeper, or the stealthy tread of the deerstealer. The 
clearing of this land was commenced in October, 1856, and 
completed in January, 1858, all in the short space of one year 
and four months, at a cost of 5815/.* It is to the clearing and 
reclaiming of the Crown allotment that this report has reference. 
Many other smaller portions of the forest land have been brought 
into cultivation with various degrees of success, according to 
the different modes of management adopted by the numerous 
occupiers. 
Herds of Forest Deer. — The first thing to be done was to get 
rid of the deer, of which from time immemorial extensive herds 
had been kept in Wichwood ; and doubtless England's monarchs 
had often led the chase here, followed by attendant nobles, amid 
a chorus of horns and hounds ; sweet music to the ear of the 
hunter ; but as we have to deal with common matters of fact, we 
must leave such scenes and times to be recorded and depicted by 
poets and painters. 
The Commissioners' order had gone forth against the deer, 
"let not one remain." Some few were caught alive in nets, and 
taken away to stock distant parks ; but by far the greater number 
had to be killed, and to effect this purpose, the keepers were 
fully employed ; to assist in the slaughter, guns and gunners 
came from the surrounding neighbourhood ; and many a sports- 
man, whose largest game had hitherto been blackbirds, could 
afterwards boast of the number of deer that had fallen to his 
fowling-piece ! 
As a complete clearance was to be made, bucks, docs, and 
fawns, in season or out of season, shared the same; fate, and the 
taste of venison was known in cottage as well as hall, ^ 
Clearance of Brusliicood and Timber. — After all the deer had 
been removed, the clearance of timber and brushwood began ; 
no man able and willing to work was rejected. Hundreds and 
hundreds of men and boys were engaged, some cutting the light 
wood and laving it in drift, some tying the firewood into faggots, 
some preparing the larger pieces for posts and fencing, and others 
busy felling the timber trees, or stripping off the bark. Gra- 
dually and steady was the advance, like that of an invading 
* This sum does not include the cost of felling the large trees ; a cash account of 
that work will be fouud in another page. 
