FOR farther Information refpecting HEDGES' and HEDGEROW TIMBER, fee the RURAL EcoNOMY of YORKSHIRE, Vol. I. p. 201.

ALSO the RURAL ECONOMY of the MIDLAND COUNTIES, Vol. I. pages 83 to 95, and the Mr

NUTES thence referred to.

DIVISION

DIVISION THE FOURTH.

WOODLANDS; OR, USEFUL PLANTATIONS.

A

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS,

LTHOUGH it may be difficult to distinguish,

precifely, between ufeful and ornamental plantations, yet the diftinction between a rough coppice, in a reclufe corner of an estate, and a flowering fhrubery, under the windows of a manfion, is obvious: the one we view as an object of pleasure and amusement, while the other is looked upon in the light of profit, only. Upon these premises we ground our distinction. Under the prefent head, we purpose to speak of plantations, whofe leading features are of the more useful kind, and whose principal end is profit; referving thofe, whofe diftinguishing characteristics are orna

mental,

mental, and whofe primary object is pleafure, for the SECOND PART of this VOLUME.

PERHAPS, it will be expected, that, before we begin to treat of the propagation of TIMBER, We fhould previously prove an approaching SCARCITY of that neceffary article in this country: for it may be argued, that every acre of land applied to the purposes of planting, is loft to thofe of agriculture; and, as far as culturable land goes, the argument is juft. To speak of this fubject, generally, as to the whole kingdom, and at the fame time precifely, is perhaps what no man is prepared for,

FROM an extenfive knowledge of the different parts of the kingdom, we believe that the Nation has not, yet, experienced any real want of timber. We are happy to find, that, in many parts of it, there are great quantities now ftanding; while, in many other parts, we are forry to fee an almoft total nakedness. With respect to large well grown OAK TIMBER, fuch as is fit for the purposes of SHIP BUILDING, we believe there is a growing fcarcity, throughout the kingdom.

WE will explain ourfelves, by fpeaking particularly as to one district the VALE OF PICKERING, in Yorkshire. This diftrict, for ages paft, has fupplied,

fupplied, in a great measure, the ports of Whitby and Scarborough with fhip timber. At present, notwithstanding the extenfive tracts of Woodlands ftill remaining, there is fcarcely a tree left ftanding with a load of timber in it. Befides, the woods which now exift, have principally been raifed from the ftools of timber trees, formerly taken down; the faplings from which being numerous, they have drawn each other up flender, in the grove manner; and, confequently, never will be fuitable to the more valuable purposes of the fhip builder.

WHEN we confider the prodigious quantity of timber which is confumed in the conftruction of a large veffel, we feel a concern for the probable fituation of this country, at fome future period. A SEVENTY-FOUR GUN SHIP (we speak from good authority) fwallows up three thoufand loads of Oak timber. A load of timber is fifty cubical feet; a ton, forty feet; confequently, a feventyfour gun fhip takes 2,000 large well grown timber trees; namely, trees of nearly two tons each!

THE distance recommended, by authors, for planting trees, in a Wood, (a fubject we shall speak to particularly in the courfe of this chapter) in which Underwood is alfo propagated, is thirty feet or upwards. Suppofing trees to stand at two Fods (33 feet, the diftance we recommend they

fhould

fhould ftand at, in fuch a plantation), each statute acre would contain 40 trees; confequently, the building of a seventy-four gun fhip would clear, of fuch Woodland, the timber of 50 acres. Even fuppofing the trees to ftand at one rod apart (a short distance for trees of the magnitude abovementioned), fhe would clear twelve acres and a half; no inconsiderable plot of Woodland. When we confider the number of king's fhips that have been built during the late wars, and the Eaft Indiamen, merchants fhips, colliers, and small craft, that are launched daily in the different ports of the kingdom, we are ready to tremble for the confequences. Nevertheless, there are men who treat the idea of an approaching fcarcity as being chimerical; and, at prefent, we will hope that they have fome foundation for their opinion, and that the day of want is not near. At fome future opportunity, we may endeavour to reduce to a degree of certainty, what at prefent is, in fome measure, conjectural. The present state of this ifland with respect to ship timber is, to the com munity, a fubject of the very first importance,

HOWEVER, in a work like the prefent, addreffed to individuals, rather than to the nation at large, a true estimate of the general plenty or scarcity of timber is only important, as being inftrumental in afcertaining the local plenty, or fcarcity, which is