234 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
especially Sussex. Albion, in his "Trees and Ships Timber,"
a work which I have made much use of, writes :
"The distinctive characteristic of the oak of England was its
"unusual individuality in the matter of shape. Oaks on the Con-
"tinent could be found growing by the thousands in extensive
"forests, with almost uniformly straight, slender trunks practically
"free from branches. The English oaks, on the other hand, often
"assumed a great variety of forms, especially the rugged oaks growing
"in hedgerows, which had ample room to develop the branches
"essential for compass timber. It was believed that English oaks
"acquired a toughness from constant buffeting with the winds,
"which gave them strange shapes while it strengthened their timber.
"Liable as it was to many defects in growth, the English oak pro-
"duced timber admirably adapted for naval purposes. Its chief
"drawback was the slowness of growth, which required a century of
"foresight in matters of forest policy ; but that very slowness of
"growth is very often an element of strength in timber."
It is an interesting fact that great and compass timber eventually
became very scarce because of the widespread demolition of
hedgerows when corn began to be grown extensively. England
was originally covered with forests. Even in the reign of William
I woodlands were still so numerous and extensive as to be
valued not by the quantity of timber, or what could be felled
annually, but by the number of swine which the acorns could
maintain.
The clearing of forests was necessary for the development
of the country, but the beginning of the timber shortage is
attributed to Henry VIII by his suppression of the monasteries
in 1535, when the woodlands owned by the religious houses were
felled in a wholesale manner. While this first reckless destruction
of oak continued the first important timber preservation Act
was passed by Parliament (1535) :
"The Kyng our soveraigne lorde perceiving this and ryght well
"knowyng the great decay of timber and woodes universally within
"this realme of Englande, to be suche, that onlesse spedy remedy
"in that behalfe be provyded, there is great and manifest likelihode
"of scarcitie and lacke, as well of tymber for buylding makyng
"repayryng and mainteyning of houses and shippes, as also for fewel
"and fierwood, for the necessary relief of the hole comminaltie of
"this his said realme, wherefore be it ordeined and enacted . . . .
"that in and upon al and singular severall woodes, commonly called
"copies woodes or underwoodes . . . . shall be felled at xxiiii;
"yeres growying or under, there shalbe lefte standing and unfelde,
"for every acre of woode that shalbe felled within the sayde copies xii
"standilles or storers of oke.....that then there shall be lefte