For remarks,&c.

[54 1

WOODs.

THr South, and East sides of Berkshire, have a large propor- tion of wood land appertaining to them: and, as the parochial taxes are generally very light, on this part of landed property, and the demand for faggot, and hurdle wood, very great, they pay the landlord, in general, much better than his cultivated land.

The predominant wood in the county, is hazle: sometimes, however, it is mixed with ash, oak, beech, willow, and alder. There are also, some few beech woods to be found entire; which, when in a proper course of falling, are certainly a very produc- tive wood, particularly as they may be planted on chalk, or rocky hills, where there is but little surface, and where other wood does not prosper.

Hazle-wood, in a country where great quantities of hurdles are wanting, is of course very profitable. In a good soil, it is cut from seven to ten years' growth; and will fetch, from ten to fif- teen pounds an acre. In other places, it must stand twelve, or fourteen years, to be worth so much.

The chief purposes, to which this wood is applied, is making hurdles, faggots, hoops, and bundles of stakes.

Close hurdles are from six shillings to nine shillings a dozen.

Bundles of stakes, seven pence each.

Hoops, 3s. 6d. a bundle of 60 hoops.

The beech woods in this county are exceedingly well managed, by continually clearing,(which they call drawing out,) the beech stems, from eight, down to three or four inches girt, where they stand too thick, or appear unthrifty and dead. The best of this stuff is sold to coachmakers, wheelwrights, farmers,&c. at 73. per foot, for making and repairing carriages, and agricul- tural implements; the other is generally cut up into billets, and faggots, for the bakers of the country; and a great quantity is