267 
POLLARDING TREES. 
places, to a red buffy hue, when at the same time the 
beautiful green wings of the small oak-moth (phalaena 
viridana) are in no way altered by it. But notwithstand- 
ing these circumstances, it will, I apprehend, be con- 
sidered as a very useful preservative, and save many 
specimens from destruction which other means usually 
fail of effecting. 
There are not many of our rural practices, that de 
serve more the disapprobation of the landed proprietor 
than that of pollarding trees. “ It is an evil under the 
sun, and common among men.” Here it is universal. 
This system of cutting off the heads of the young trees 
in the hedge-rows is resorted to by the farmer for the 
purpose of forcing them, thus deprived of their leaders, 
to throw out collateral shoots, serving for stakes for the 
fences, and for firewood. The purposes are effected ; but 
of all hopes of timber, or profit to the proprietor, there 
is an end. No trees suffer more in this respect than the 
ash. Prohibitions against mangling trees, in agreements, 
are usual ; but, with some exceptions in regard to oak, 
little attention seems paid to the covenant, as is ob- 
vious on the most cursory view of the country in any 
direction ; whereas the ash is not a less valuable tree, 
from its thriving more universally in all situations, and 
becoming saleable in a shorter period. 'One or two gene- 
rations must pass before an oak should be felled ; but 
the ash becomes useful wood while its more respected 
j companion is but a sapling. These prohibitions should 
not simply be engrossed on the parchment, but the 
agent ought strictly to notice any infringement; and 
young ash trees should be more especially guarded, 
because they are the most likely to suffer, from their pro- 
ducing the greatest quantity of lop in the shortest time. 
The injury done by this practice to the present landlord 
and his successors is beyond estimation, as the numbers 
destroyed, and the vigor of their growth, must be first 
known; but there is not a farm of any extent from 
which hundreds of ash trees might not have been felled, 
had their growth been permitted, making an annual 
return ; vyhereas nothing can be obtained now or here- 
after for the proprietor, and only a few stakes and bavins 
