I have stated that I consider the question which I am handling a difficult one. I feel it to be so—not because I have any difficulty in proving “mismanagement” on the part of those who have to do with the timber of our hedges—not because I can feel a doubt that my statements will carry conviction along with them; but because I must necessarily come into collision, both with the refined tastes, and with the prejudices, of many of my readers. For instance: if I assert, as I do without any hesitation, that many Noblemen and Gentlemen suffer their Hedge-row Timber to stand much too long—where is the admirer of the beauties of landscape scenery, who will not instantly, and perhaps indignantly, throw down my book, and charge me with being the most presumptuous of grumblers, and, as to taste, a very heretic!
If to such a charge as this I plead “not guilty,” as, after all that can be said, I really must do, I am aware that I must be prepared with a very strong defence. I think I am so prepared. My defence will rest on three principal points, which it will be my endeavour to bring out in the course of my “Remarks: viz.: First; I shall show that the magnitude of the sacrifice which arises from Hedge-row Timber being suffered to stand so long, is disproportionate to the good resulting from it. Secondly; that the embellishment of a landscape does not necessarily include the perpetuity of any one race of timber trees. And thirdly; that the present mode of “mismanaging” Hedge-row Timber, is a perpetual offence against good taste.”
Although I have arranged my three propositions as above, I do not intend to bind myself to take them up again, and dispose of them in consecutive order: I have neither time nor the ability to adapt my “remarks” to the niceties of exact logical arrangement; it will be sufficient for me, if I shall succeed in leaving upon the minds of those who may read them, an impression of their truth. If that result is arrived at, it surely will be quite sufficient to draw the particular attention of proprietors to the subject; which will be more than half way towards securing the improvement which is so loudly called for; and that would be as much perhaps, as could at once be reasonably expected.
It may not be amiss to glance for an instant, at the value of the property about which I am writing. Few people, I imagine, have any proper conception of the aggregate amount. It is, of course, impossible to offer more than a conjecture on the subject; but probably it is not less, in England alone, than One Hundred Millions sterling!
It is quite clear that a course of management which only, in some of its details, falls short of what it ought to be, would involve, as it affected such an immense investment, a very serious loss to somebody. How much more serious then, must it be, if, not only some of the minor details of management, but the entire course of treatment, be radically wrong, as it respects a considerable proportion, and very defective indeed as to the remainder? It would be a waste of time to stop here with a view to argue, in proof of what must appear to every one to be nothing less than an axiom.
That proprietors of Hedge-row Timber are not solely influenced by considerations of taste in their management of it, is most evident to an experienced eye; but the heavy loss, which is consequent upon allowing it to stand so long, has, probably, never been fairly understood by them, or some efforts would have been made to prevent it.
If a Nobleman or Gentleman merely suffered his timber to stand beyond maturity in the neighbourhood of his house, or on the domain where his mansion stood, however extensive it might be:—or if he generously spared the trees which, though at a great distance from his residence, were so placed as to enrich, if not constitute the principal beauty of, some splendid scene in nature, no one, who possesses a grain of taste, would regret it, but, on the contrary, would feel grateful for this sacrifice to one of the most hallowed emotions of the heart, when surveying the Creator’s works, which are all perfect; and the touches of whose pencil are all loveliness—whether as seen in the refreshing beauty of foliage which distinguishes the vernal season, or the mellowed minglings of Autumn’s enchanting exhibitions: but when it is considered, that a majority of the Nobility and Gentry, thus treat their remote and even most distant estates, where besides, there is nothing particularly attractive in the scenery, the propriety of the course which they pursue may, I think, be fairly questioned. Some other reason therefore, than a deference to the principles of good taste must be found, in order to account for their conduct; and in looking round for a reason I should say, a good deal must be set down to indifference, and pure neglect. This I say, because it will not admit of question, that a most extensive loss arises, both to themselves, and the community in consequence; and it is not often that gentlemen wilfully close their eyes to the importance of pecuniary considerations, except there is some powerful and justifiable reason which leads them to do so.
Without speculating further as to the precise cause, it is certain that the amount of property which is thus wasted, absolutely wasted—and in almost every case without any advantage to any party whatever—is enormous, as it would be easy to show by statistical details and calculations, applying to any estate where this horror of felling timber may have existed for half a century. Were this accurately done, there could not but be such a showing, as would fully establish the truth of what I have advanced. There would indeed be no difficulty in fixing upon an estate, in any locality, which would illustrate my position, but I shall not here attempt it, for various reasons, which will be obvious to all. It would be travelling beyond the bounds of legitimate remark, were I to refer to any particular estate, and any other references, however accurate in point of fact, would not be sufficiently specific. I would rather recommend any gentleman whose estate may be pretty well covered with timber, already, or long since, arrived at maturity, to make as near an estimate as he can of its present value, or procure it to be made; and having calculated the amount which would be exhibited of the gross sum at compound interest, for any given term of years, then let him “try back,” and endeavour to ascertain what, according to this mode of calculation, may have been his individual loss. But when a gentleman coolly makes up his mind to allow his Timber Trees to go to decay without ever intending, or wishing, to make any thing of them, why then, in that case, nothing can be advanced, but to suggest the means of protracting their existence to the longest possible period.
It is impossible not to do homage to the feeling which prompts a gentleman to make so large a sacrifice to taste, as to suffer the greater part of his Hedge-row and detached Timber to perish by slow decay; but if it can be proved that he acts upon mistaken views, and that, by a better system of management, his object might be gained without the very serious pecuniary loss which, on the other plan, he must necessarily suffer, it cannot be doubted that such a suggestion ought to command his instant attention. It will hardly be denied, I think, by any one who fully understands the subject, that such a regular succession of Timber Trees in the Fields and Hedge-rows might be secured by a proper system of management, as would sustain and perpetuate the beauties of the landscape, while, at the same time, nearly every tree should be taken in its turn as it arrived at maturity. It would, of course, require an entire change of system, or rather of practice, and the change would necessarily involve a considerable outlay, inasmuch as a constant supervision would be required from the time of planting, but whatever might be the expense, it would be amply returned; and whatever might be the apparent difficulty, it would not be such but that skill and perseverance would be sure to surmount it.
If then the objection which would be made by the man of taste, to the felling of Hedge-row and detached Timber, could be effectually obviated, by providing a regular succession to take the place of such as might be cut down—for the difference of a few yards in the site need hardly be taken into the account—one great difficulty, at least, would be overcome; and instead of wasting, as is done under the present practice, a quantity of Timber, the aggregate value of which makes it an object of national importance, the growers might take down their trees when they arrived at maturity, and thus produce a constant supply of the best sort for home consumption: and it will not surely be argued by the most determined advocate for free trade, that it would be for the interest of the English Gentleman to give a higher price for Foreign Pine than he would be able to make of home-grown Oak! No! emphatically No!! When the navy requires it, by all means let it be so appropriated, and if the demand be sufficient from that quarter, the relative price will be kept up, but let not English heart of Oak be reduced in our home market below the value of an inferior article, with all the costs of transit added to the original price. This were indeed to show a most extravagant and unaccountable preference of a crotchet over the obvious dictates of reason, and the suggestions of prudence. It would indeed be to drop the substance, and grasp at the shadow.