Remarks on the Management, or Rather, the Mis-Management of Woods, Plantations, and Hedge-Row Timber

Part 1

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REMARKS ON THE MANAGEMENT, OR RATHER, THE MIS-MANAGEMENT, OF WOODS, PLANTATIONS, AND HEDGE-ROW TIMBER.

BY J. WEST, Land Agent, &c. &c. NORTH COLLINGHAM, NEWARK, NOTTS.

NEWARK. PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. PERFECT, CARTERGATE. LONGMAN & Co. LONDON.

1842.

TO JOHN EVELYN DENISON, ESQ. M. P.

SIR,

Having had the honor to spend nineteen years in your service as resident Land Agent—having during that period, as well as since, received from you many marks of favour—having on your Estate laid the foundation, and to some extent tested the accuracy, of the opinions which are given in the following pages; I am, I assure you, deeply grateful for the kind permission with which you have favoured me, to dedicate them to you.

If I were to allow myself to indulge in the expression of feelings, which a recollection of my long connection with your Estates might prompt, I should risk your displeasure, for I well know, how distasteful to you would be the language of adulation; I shall therefore only add, that it gives me pleasure to dedicate my Book to you, because, from long experience, I know you to be the zealous patron of improvement in every department of rural economy, and because you are practically and intimately acquainted with the subject on which I have written.

Encouraging as it would be to me if it were so, I do not expect that you will concur with me in all the views to which I have given expression: nevertheless, I trust I may be allowed to hope that, in the main, the principles which are developed will approve themselves to your judgment, and command your approbation.

I have the honor to be,

SIR,

Your most obedient obliged Servant,

J. WEST.

North Collingham, Notts. 13th June, 1842.

PREFACE.

It has probably been with many others as it is with the writer of this, who finds the little which he has to say by way of Preface, more disagreeable, and more difficult, than he has found any other part of his book. A Preface, however, of some sort or other, must be written.

The writer cannot say, as some have done, that he has pushed off his bark, and is content to leave it to its fate—he does not pretend, with Kent, the author of “Hints to Gentlemen of Landed Property,” that “these hints are published from no motives of interest whatever”—on the contrary he is ready to avow, that, while he would feel it, under a certain modification of circumstances, a most agreeable and congenial occupation of his time, to be employed in establishing a better practice in the management of Woods, Plantations, &c. he is not in a position to be so disinterested as altogether to lose sight of his own interest in the matter. Further: while he feels it to be an object of vast importance to the great body of Landed Proprietors, and others, that a new system should be laid down and acted upon, the Author wishes not to disguise the fact, that he seeks the honourable distinction of being permitted to assist in correcting the evils, which he thinks he may have been the first so strongly to point out.

The Author cannot but hope that he has proved all that can be fairly considered as implied in his Title; and if he have done so, it may be productive of much advantage to those who possess property in Woods, &c.: their attention being once strongly called to the subject, they cannot fail to perceive that there is plenty for them to do.

The Author needs not to be told, for of that he is quite conscious—that his book is very defective in arrangement, and faulty in style, but if he have succeeded in the attempt to be tolerably “plain and perspicuous,” and “not very ungrammatical,” that is as much, perhaps, as ought to be required of a practical man.

One word is necessary here, with reference to Sir H. Steuart, whose name, as a Planter, the Author has mentioned at page 58. He wishes to correct an impression which he may have produced, that the honourable Baronet is altogether opposed to the practice of preparing the soil previous to planting. This is not the case; but Sir Henry, with singular inconsistency, after speaking in the highest terms in favour of trenching, manuring, &c. declares the practice to be inapplicable to Plantations on a large scale. It is unnecessary to remark here, that on this point the Author is of a different opinion.

* * * * *

P. S. The Author reviews neglected Woods, Plantations, &c. and gives directions for their proper management, or he would contract with any Noblemen or Gentlemen to overlook their Woods, &c. at so much per acre per year.

INTRODUCTION.

In writing the few “PLAIN REMARKS” which follow, I shall, in a great measure, confine myself to the consideration of two main points, viz.—the present state, and the present mode of managing such Old Woods, Plantations, and Hedge-Row Timber, as I deem to be under a course of improper treatment, suggesting, as I go on, an improved system of management of them all. Respecting both these points, I shall have to make statements which, to me, appear very important—statements, which I know cannot be controverted,—and which, though they may apply, as they are intended to apply, more particularly to some districts than to others, will, more or less, apply to all where Woods, Plantations, and well-stocked Hedge-Rows abound.

Upon the second point in particular,—I mean the present modes of managing property of this description,—I shall endeavour to show in what respects, and, as well as I am able, to what extent, it is erroneous or defective.

But first, I would remark generally, that although the treatment of Plantations is bad enough, it is not so grossly bad as is that of Ancient Woods and Hedge-Row Timber. I have, for some time, had it in my mind to write respecting the two latter, having been long convinced that a most extensive waste of property, and loss of time, was going on, but, until now, I have neither had leisure to prepare for, nor confidence to submit to, a “discerning public,” those views which have been matured during an eighteen years observation and experience.

I have now, however, resolved to print, and whatever may be the precise result to myself, if, by means of this publication, the attention of Noblemen and Gentlemen is drawn only to one hundredth part of their neglected Woods and Plantations, and of their abused Hedge-Rows, so as to induce them immediately to determine to arrest the progress of the mischief that is going on, and not only to commence the work of improvement, but to proceed to the necessary extent in carrying it on, two most important results, at least, will be produced; viz.; to Proprietors themselves a very considerable present or prospective advantage—in some cases both—and a large measure of real benefit to the Labouring Classes, in the increased demand which will be created for the labour of their hands. This last object is so vastly important, that an enlightened and benevolent mind will always be ready to listen to any suggestions that may be thrown out to promote it; but at a period like the present, when one great constitutional change in our domestic policy has been made, and when there is too much cause to fear that another is about to be tried,—each of which is as much an experiment in morals as any thing else,—it is invested with a much higher claim on the attention of those to whom the appeal may be made, than in ordinary circumstances it would be.

Part 2

It will readily be seen that I refer to the new Poor Law and to the Corn Laws; the former of which throws the poor man almost exclusively on his own resources. To provide him therefore with healthful employment, at such a time, and under such circumstances, will tend more than any thing else can do, to lessen the difficulty and danger of the transition from the old to the new law, and to mitigate the perhaps necessary severity of the provisions of the latter.

Before I proceed any further I would state, that I shall not attempt any thing like a systematic course, nor shall I confine myself to a scientific arrangement of my subjects: nor again, shall I trouble myself about the technical names of the several Trees which I may have to mention: nor, lastly, is it my intention to aim at elegance of composition. I do not write to establish a literary reputation, well knowing that to such an object I am unequal, and that if it were otherwise, there is a want of adaptation in my subject; but I wish to be understood as addressing myself to those who, not being themselves practically acquainted with the subjects here treated of, are not unwilling to listen to the opinions which I have formed, and profit by the experience which I have derived from close and extensive observation, while myself actually employed in the details of management, connected alike with the Timber and Coppice of ancient Woods, with the planting and subsequent treatment of Plantations and with Hedge-Row Timber.

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