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EPPING FOREST
within these Manors thinning on a greatly reduced
scale now meets the case.
In concluding this part of my subject, let me
urge that every one who aspires to be a forester
should exercise his imagination. He works for
posterity. It is essential for his success that he
should, with full knowledge of natural processes,
have ever present in his mind the probable results
of his operations, not only in this generation, but
fifty or a hundred years hence.
Drainage.—In this case I am inclined to give
Punch's advice to those about to marry. In the
Forest, covered drains are sooner or later choked
by roots, and open water-courses are quickly
trodden in by cattle. No doubt to a certain
extent it is necessary to lay dry those tracks which
are much frequented; but I think that labour em-
ployed in draining swampy hollows is worse than
wasted, because, in their natural state, they have
a distinct flora, and insect life, of their own.
Above all, I deprecate any attempt being made
to straighten and formalise the beautiful natural
water-courses at the bottom of the hollows. In
some cases a perfectly straight-cut ditch has been
substituted many years ago for the old water-
courses, and the latter may be still traced as a
shallow winding hollow. I strongly advocate
restoring the stream to its old bed, by excavating
it and filling up the straight cut. After a few
years the old natural conditions and appearance
are restored. This has been done with great
success in part of the course of the Ching below
Connaught Water, and I hope the process will be
carried further.
The Use of Carts.—Great mischief has been
done in the past by the use of carts for the purpose
of removing gravel and wood thinnings. When
a ride has once been cut to pieces in this way,
it is years before it recovers, the surface being
so ploughed about, that it holds water like a
sponge, and only recovers its solidity after a long
period. For nearly twenty years I have strongly
advocated the plan, which is almost universal on