154 EPPING FOREST
beeches. The latter are younger than the pollarded
trees, but, not having been subjected to the curtail-
ing process, have far outstripped them by their
natural vigour. Observe here the charming groves
of young beeches, and hornbeams which have
established themselves on the more open parts.
The cattle and deer yearly nibble them back,
which causes them to hold their brown leaves
through the winter. No further removals will be
required in Monk Wood, at any rate for a long
time to come.
Crossing the main ridge to the north of High
Beach, those sections of the Forest, known as St.
Thomas's, and Honey Lane Quarters, which slope
towards the Lea Valley, are reached. In the
former block, which adjoins Woodredden Hill, the
hollows are too wet for any trees to grow in them,
but they constitute, in themselves, a fresh beauty.
Interspersed among the pollarded trees are a con-
siderable number of straight grown beeches, but of
much younger growth than those in Epping Thicks
and MonkWood. Having been given plenty of room
in the last few years, these trees are making rapid
and healthy progress. The upper part of the slope
above Honey Lane will, I anticipate, be furnished,
in the lifetime of some now living, by a beech grove
scarcely inferior to Monk Wood, and its situation
is much finer. The exquisite views over Waltham
Abbey and the Lea Valley commanded by the
whole of this hillside, justify, in my opinion, the
large clearances which have been made of the
decadent hornbeams which used to cover the
whole surface, and had nearly succeeded in de-
stroying the undergrowth. In some portions a few
more of them might be removed, but the process
is practically complete. Every chance should
be given here to the holly which is making pro-
gress on the drier banks, so far as the deer, who
are very fond of this western slope, and who nibble
that prickly plant in winter, will allow. In the
lower part of the slope where the soil is wetter,
oaks take the place of beeches.
Turning southward again and passing the