THE MANAGEMENT OF EPPING FOREST. 67
disfigured, and unlovely. The best evidence how well it has been handled by
the Conservators is that anyone should already speak of it as "primeval." He
must most earnestly deprecate appeals to sentiment and popular prejudice. The
art of forestry—that is, the art of giving free scope to the natural development of
trees—was a very technical and difficult science, and to be successful, the best
judges of what was really wanted should be found and given a free hand. Of
course they must cut away redundant growth, and give light and air, unless they
wanted a hopeless thicket in which the vegetation was dying from suffocation, neither
beautiful nor healthy, nor useful for man or beast. Why, moreover, should a
park-like appearance be objected to, if by that vague expression was meant
single trees of perfect growth standing by themselves ; such are found in natural
forests and are their greatest beauties. He would specially protest against the
suggestion that the Forest was to be managed to suit the ideas of the East-End
population, the ideal of most of whom was a tea-garden. It would be just as
reasonable to decide on the surgical treatment of some patient in the London
Hospital, suffering from a complication of diseases resulting from neglect, by a
plebiscite of Whitechapel. He was quite a free lance, but from his long know-
ledge of the woods, he most cordially supported the resolution.
Sir Frederick Young (Chairman of the "Forest Fund") said : I have listened
with attention to the discussion which has taken place, and particularly to the
interesting address of Professor Meldola, in the course of which he has referred
to my name, I hope, therefore, I may be permitted to make a few remarks on
the question, which has especially brought us together on the present occasion.
In consequence of the complaints recently made in the press of the reckless and
even "ruthless" cutting and clearing of the trees in certain parts of Epping
Forest, I was induced to enter my protest against it on the faith of the accuracy
of the reports which had reached me. Since that time I have paid three visits to
the spots in question, and I have also had the opportunity of hearing from Mr.
E. N. Buxton, on the part of the Verderers, the explanation of the reasons
for the cutting, clearing, and thinning of the trees, which have been sanctioned
by them in pursuance of their avowed object of treatment for the purpose of
preserving, and not destroying, the Forest committed to their charge. I am
bound frankly to own that although in my judgment this process appears to have
been too rigorously pursued, and that many trees which have been cut down
might have remained without detriment to the object in view ; yet, from what
I have seen and heard, my opinion has been considerably modified, and on the
whole, my hope is that the injury to the Forest is not what I was at first led to
fear and believe of the character I supposed. Professor Boulger has anticipated me
by moving a resolution. I should rather, I confess, have preferred one to this effect,
which I have prepared, and which, with the permission of the meeting, I will read.
It is as follows : "That this meeting of the Essex Field Club, and of several
scientific representatives of Forestry and others interested in the preservation of
Epping Forest, take this opportunity of expressing the opinion that it was the
intention of those who, many years ago, successfully secured Epping Forest for
the public, that it should always be preserved in its primitive condition of wild,
natural woodland, and should not be subjected to any treatment calculated
to convert it into a park or artificial playground. That having visited several of
the spots about which serious complaints have been made of too much cutting,
clearing, and thinning of the trees having been sanctioned by the Verderers, and
having heard the explanations given by Mr. Edward North Buxton on their
behalf, this meeting believes that the Verderers and the Corporation of London,