its own fitness, or other circumstances make it desirable, rather than at regular periodical falls; to bring such obvious advantages within reach, it would be necessary to have a few permanent Roads in a wood; some principal, and others inferior; both for the purpose of inspecting the timber frequently, and getting it out when fallen. The space sacrificed by making such roads would be extremely trifling, as the roots would occupy the whole of the ground, and the tops of the trees nearly all the space above them. The roads should curve, so far that the wind could not traverse them any considerable length. With the help of these, every thing recommended becomes easy; without them, all would be difficult, if not impracticable.

The Roads or Rides in a Wood are likewise no small acquisition, when in the neighbourhood of a Mansion; being equally a refuge from the summer's heat,

and winter's cold. They also bring the proprietor acquainted with what his woods contain. In short, to persons of opulence, who are proud of such property, a system of this description must be peculiarly gratifying; as, in addition to every other advantage, it affords the means of producing, in a given space, the greatest possible quantity of fine timber.

To proprietors, under different circumstances, it has also strong recommendations; as, in addition to increased produce, as before-mentioned, it gives the facility of taking down, annually or otherwise, just so much as may be deemed prudent, without the reproach of poverty following it: for if a Wood, on a tolerable soil, and not deficient of plants, had been managed a dozen years according to this system, no man could say, with truth, it was in bad condition; though there might not be a tree left in it worth forty shillings. It could not, indeed, be said, to be then

highly valuable; but we might affirm it was in such a state of cultivation, that it could not fail to become so, in a short period.

may

Having now given what may be called the Outlines of an improved System for the Management of Oak Woods, it just be observed, that the advantages are by no means confined to these of a pecuniary tendency; as a wood, so managed, would perpetually present a piece of natural Scenery, every way perfect in its kind. It is true, it would want, what a certain Improver improved would call→→→ Sublimity, namely, ROTTEN trees;-and so much the better. An object naturally Beautiful, or Grand, is doubly so when it is also useful.

In considering the immediate and more distant tendency of such a system, with a view to anticipate the objections to which it may be liable, we do not discover any,

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(the idea being strictly confined to Timber Woods,) except the matter of Expence. On this head, it may be observed, that such cannot be considerable; but, even supposing it were so, still the improvement proposed is so far permanent, as to be tantamount either to the purchase of an estate, or the improvement of one in possession; the returns from which are never immediately looked for. In this point of view, we know of no improvement, usually practised upon estates, likely to make such an abundant return: yet, if the matter rested here, it would want a prevailing recommendation,—that of being immediate.

Fortunately, however, this improvement requires little from the proprietors, except the resolution to do it justice; for if a particular expence be incurred, there are also certain sorts of produce to be: reaped, which would not at all reduce the general one. These alluded to are,

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first, The value of the bark and wood, produced in reducing the heads of the larger trees-secondly, The value of the whole of what is pruned from the other descriptions of trees, the stools included: -thirdly, The amount of the sales of poles, produced by reducing the shoots or wavers, on each stool, to one only.

On these three species of profit, we may generally observe, that as, in every case, the sources from whence they spring, would be much improved by their being so removed, they are clearly the produce of the new system, and ought to be applied to its support.

We have, likewise, a fourth species of produce, which the system naturally creates; namely, The accumulating interest upon the sums produced by the sale of trees, taken down before what would have been the regular fall. The matter will be best explained by suppos