In all cases where the cycle has run beyond twenty years, it will, at least, be well for the proprietor, or his manager, to sit down and calculate whether the stuff would not pay better if felled some years earlier. The inquiry can do no harm; and much good may possibly arise out of it. In the case last supposed, viz.: a wood with little or no oak, and well stocked with underwood of a suitable kind, there cannot be a doubt upon the subject; for if the stock—by which term I mean the shoots which have sprung up from the stools—has been properly treated, it will have arrived, in twenty years, at a size quite large enough for agricultural uses, and it can very seldom be allowed to stand longer without serious injury to the stools. A very little consideration will convince any one, who does not resist conviction, that such ought to be the state of a wood so circumstanced as to oak; but nevertheless the actual condition of most woods is widely different from this: instead of there being a full crop of underwood, where there is a deficiency of timber, or a full crop of timber, where there is little or no underwood, it too frequently happens that there is neither the one nor the other, even on land which is, as was remarked before, capable of yielding a handsome revenue! And here let it not be supposed that I am speaking of extreme cases only, or that there are but few woods in this state: the cases are numerous: I have seen, and could point out many, but this I shall not do: I rather choose to leave these observations with “all whom they may concern,” to work conviction where they are seen to be just, quite indifferent as to the effect which they may produce on the minds of any who may oppose them.
And now let me ask—if this be the state of many woods—if neither a crop of timber nor of underwood is found—to what is it owing? the reply is not difficult: it is mainly attributable to proprietors themselves, and to their agents: to woodmen in a subordinate degree. In proof of my first position, I would respectfully remark, that if a gentleman chooses to sacrifice every thing to the idea of having good covers; and, supposing that any thing which interferes with the primeval state of his woods, is incompatible with this object, refuses to do any thing at them, the woodman may not bear the blame. Again: if a proprietor happen, unfortunately, to have such an aversion to felling timber—and there are many such—that he will sooner let it rot down, or allow one tree to destroy another; or again; suffer the timber trees to stand so thickly that they not only totally destroy each other, but the underwood below also, the woodman ought not to be censured; except indeed, he have advised such a course, which I can hardly think any man accustomed to woods could do, in the present day. Once more; if gentlemen lack the moral courage—and I have met with some of this description—to treat with the contempt which it deserves the vulgar meddling, the idle tattle of those who are ever ready to say, when timber is felled, that the owner’s poverty, and not his will, consents to the deed, we are furnished with abundance of reasons for the serious waste of property that is going on, but the woodman is not in fault, neither ought he to be blamed. Lastly: if proprietors commit the management of their woods to persons who are wholly incompetent—as is too often the case—to discharge the duties confided to them, I cannot see that the men are to be condemned, but rather their employers. Wherever such “mismanagement” prevails as I have attempted to describe, and have seen so much cause to lament, it may generally, I think, be traced, either to ignorance on the part of woodmen, or inattention on the part of their employers: but it will be quite clear to all, who will allow themselves time to think on the subject, that the grossest mismanagement is to be met with, not on first, nor even on second, but on third, and fourth-rate estates, where regular woodmen are not kept, and below that grade downwards, to property which is in the hands of Trustees, or mainly under the control of Solicitors, or Corporate bodies; or, which is probably worse than all, under the supreme direction of men who having, during the whole of their business life, had too many Stewardships, &c. for any human being to look after and manage well, cannot of course be deemed capable of judging rightly on a subject which requires the closest possible attention, the nicest discrimination, and an extended and varied experience.
Much mischief has also arisen from the employment by gentlemen, and by their agents, of persons, who, while they may, usefully and creditably, fulfil their duties as village carpenters and the like, cannot possibly possess those enlarged, comprehensive views, which are necessary to the proper management of timber generally, and Ancient Woods especially. I must here protest against the conclusion being drawn, that I am doing injustice to any class of men in remarking, as I have done, on their manner of discharging the trust committed to them. As to the professional gentlemen, either their engagements, their position, or their habits, interpose an insurmountable difficulty, and relieve them from the charge of wilful neglect: and as to the others it is no injustice to them to affirm, as I do most positively, that there are principles and considerations involved in this subject, which they can, in no wise, grasp or comprehend: and so perfectly clear is this to me, so fully am I borne out by a long course of “observation and experience,” that I have never yet seen one solitary instance, where the timber taken down in thinning, either in woods or plantations, when in such hands, has been properly done; and in very few cases indeed, either here, or higher up the scale, without the most serious blunders. One case has fallen under my observation this Winter, (1842,) where oak timber trees were selected and marked for sale, which were exactly, in every respect, such as a good judge would wish to see in every wood; and not only, not too thick, but, from the same injudicious mode of selecting and marking at previous auctions, much too thin. They were also in a state of high vigorous health, and moreover, there was no underwood which could be benefited! I admit that this was a more flagrant outrage against the principles which ought to rule in selecting, than is usually committed, but the work is hardly ever done as it ought to be.
But whatever difference of opinion may arise among practical men, upon the points now under consideration, and on whomsoever the blame may rest, it is unquestionable that the actual state of a large proportion of our Ancient Woods is very bad indeed: they are either crowded with inferior oak timber, along with the most miserable rubbish as underwood; or, if they contain any thing valuable in either the one or the other, no principles, or rules of any kind, are applied in the management of them; and, consequently, they are, on some account or other, and of course more or less rapidly, passing through the stage of deterioration, and are annually losing to their owners, a heavy per centage on their value. In many cases, the oak, from ages of “mismanagement,” is stunted in growth, and of a form, and shape, totally unsuited to the place where it stands; and the underwood consists of that alone which is indigenous to the soil, and which, therefore, no neglect can destroy, nor any culture improve: in addition to all this, they are often, nay almost always, on clayey, retentive soils, ruined with water: they are periodically shut up, for from eighteen to twenty-five years, during which time, it is impossible to do any thing at them; and, when they are cleared of the underwood, instead of the opportunity being gratefully seized, for the purpose of effecting those operations which can only be carried on at such a time, they are shut up again, and left in their original state—except indeed they may have been despoiled of some of their oak—nothing being done at them, or, if any thing, probably so little, or so ill done, that no good result is produced. But what ought to be the course pursued at such a time? Why, as it is only during the year of “hagging,” and the following season, that any work of magnitude, any improvement worth mentioning, can be carried on; a proprietor should more carefully examine his woods when they have been cut, than he would any other description of property: he should himself, if he understand it—which, however, is very seldom the case—or if he do not, by a person who is conversant with such matters, make a most rigid, and particular survey, in order to satisfy himself as to what ought to be done; and this he must do immediately when the underwood is cut, or rather, as soon as any considerable portion is done, so that he may have before him all the time which he can possibly command, for carrying on, and completing, his improvements. He must not be deterred from commencing them by any consideration of the remoteness of the prospect of return upon his outlay; but, instead of visiting the sins of his fathers upon the generations following him, he must, if the case demand it, make a present sacrifice, for the benefit of his posterity: I say if the case demand it, but this will not very frequently happen, as there are very few instances of “mismanagement” where the fear of cutting timber has not been one of the principal causes of that mismanagement; and where this is so, there is at once found a source from whence may be obtained the means of amply paying for any outlay that may be required. I have thus far remarked only on what may, and what ought to be done, when Ancient Woods come to be felled in the regular way, and at the usual time and age; but there are vast numbers of cases where, first, the condition of the woods is so bad, that all considerations about the usual time, are merged in the necessity for immediately commencing the work of renovation; and, secondly, the instances are not few, where the same course is desirable, in order that a more profitable way of disposing of the produce may be introduced, to supersede the old jog-trot mode of getting rid of it.
With regard to the first, it will at once be perceived, by a practical eye, and a sound judgment, whether a wood is in such a state, as to the prospect of a crop, that it is the proprietor’s interest to make a sacrifice in the underwood and cut it, although it may sell for nothing but faggots, rather than finish, or run out, the term, at the end of which it would be cut in the usual course. I have seen hundreds of such cases: there are many in almost every neighbourhood where woods exist at all; and I confidently ask, what would be the use, or how would it be possible to show the propriety, of completing the term of the cycle, if, first, the wood contained nothing valuable as underwood; and if, secondly, it contained a considerable portion of timber that required immediate attention, on some account or other? I should, for instance, instantly determine to cut, where I found a wood crowded with a class of unhealthy oaks, or other timber: but it is not necessary to particularize, as I would not pretend to give such directions here as would enable a gentleman to decide, for that could only be done after inspection. So many points have to be considered, that a careful survey of a wood must be made. This done, fortunately there is no difficulty in coming to a correct conclusion upon such a question as this. A practical man, who understands what he is about, will be in no danger of committing an error in the decision to which he will be led, for these are not subjects on which a difference of opinion might naturally arise upon an examination taken. The various considerations for cutting, or forbearing to cut, would so certainly present themselves to the mind of a person really competent to judge, that I should say there would be no doubt whatever, of his deciding correctly, if he were not interfered with by the personal wish, or taste, of his employer. It is with this as with most other subjects:—wherever men understand what they are about, and are guided and governed by fixed principles, matters go on well; but the misfortune, with regard to woods, is, that ages of “mismanagement,” and other causes, interpose obstacles and difficulties which it will be no slight task to overcome. To give a brief summary of my views upon this important point, I would remark, that no wood ought to be allowed to run out its term which is not stocked as it ought to be, or which, if stocked tolerably well, is suffering injury from imperfect drainage. As I have just said, these points must be determined by an examination of the wood by some person whose judgment may be relied upon; but any gentleman may see at once, if he will, that if a wood is really in the state which I have supposed, viz., without either timber or underwood worth standing, &c. it would be perfectly absurd to let it stand; for at the end of the cycle it would be very little better than at the beginning, and so much more time would be irrecoverably lost.
As to the second point—the improvement of revenue to be derived from a different mode of disposing of the produce, I am of opinion that much might be done, in many places, without laying an increased tax on the local buyers, who are generally either farmers, or their tradesmen, the wheelwrights and carpenters of every neighbourhood, and who already pay quite enough for what they get; and especially the former, to whom I would much sooner recommend their landlords to allow an abatement, as an encouragement to them to keep their fences, gates, &c. in good order, than any thing in the shape of an advance. But still, much may be done to increase the returns from woodland property, by an improved system of management, and, first, I should advise a careful assortment of the stuff after it is felled: I would here, as in every thing else, classify, by which means, the different kinds, as well as the different sizes, and shapes, will come into the hands of such persons as they may exactly suit, instead of jumbling all sorts together, so that a buyer is obliged to purchase that which he does not want, in order to come at another portion of the same lot which he is desirous of having.
Secondly: There is room to doubt, I think, as hinted before, whether mistakes are not often made, in not adapting the produce of woods better as to its age, both to the local demand, and the interests of the proprietor.
Thirdly: So numerous are the facilities in the present day, to what they used to be, for the transmission of produce of every kind from one place to another, and so many demands have, by commercial enterprize, been opened out, which were altogether unknown a quarter of a century ago, that it may, even as to heavy produce, like that of woods, be always questioned, when the demand is slack, and when prices are low, whether the local market be indeed the best market, or whether the produce may not be much better disposed of in some other way. That this sometimes occurs, I can prove from my own experience in many cases, but I will mention only one, which was that of an Ancient Wood, a twentieth portion of which was felled every year, and in which, from “mismanagement,” a large quantity of the stuff was annually left unsold, but where, after the introduction of a better system, the whole was disposed of without difficulty.
Fourthly: A great increase of revenue may be derived from a better mode of managing the stock, both of timber and underwood: the latter may, by timely and judicious pruning, by a proper attention to draining, &c. be brought to maturity at a much earlier period than it has hitherto been done in many places, and thus, of course, be made to return a greater rent.
It is incredible how little is done to Ancient Woods compared with what ought to be done, in the way of draining, pruning, stubbing up rubbish, and filling up with young plants; although it is manifest that, whenever a wood is opened, these important operations should claim the very particular attention of the proprietor or his woodman. But they do not receive it; and hence one cannot wonder at the stunted, unhealthy appearance, which many woods exhibit. They are almost always without any effective drainage, it being generally thought quite sufficient to open out a few paltry drains, which the falling leaves of the first Autumn will choke up. It will indeed very seldom be found, that even the outside ditches are well looked after: whereas it should always be the anxious concern of the woodman to provide, as well as he possibly can, for the effectual drainage of a wood after being felled, not only during a year or two, but for the term of the whole cycle. Of course I am aware that the leaves must fall, and, consequently, that the free egress of the water must, in some degree, be impeded, but, nevertheless, it is in the power of the woodman to provide, in a great measure, if not wholly, against this contingency, by making a sufficient number of ditches, of ample capacity, and by putting them in the best direction. But instead of this, it will very rarely be found, as I have just now said, that even the outside ditches are properly attended to. The consequence is, that the oaks, and our best underwood, the ash, not liking too much moisture, become diseased, and make comparatively slow progress: in fact, their existence is shortened by it, as the former will be found upon cold clay land, having a strong subsoil, to be very stunted and sickly in their appearance, and ultimately to die at the top, when, of course, they must be cut down; while the latter will much sooner become hollow, and they too, will finally perish. A small outlay in draining, if judiciously expended, would, in most cases, prevent these effects, and as it would only require to be done once in fifteen or twenty years, it could not lay more than a trifling charge upon the land.