J. C. Cox

“ IN remote times the fen districts of Lincolnshire, which lie chiefly in the Holland, or south-eastern, division of the county, were the site of great woods. Vast stores of bog timber have been found a few feet below the surface of the peaty soil, and are occasionally still discovered where new drainage works are undertaken. This buried forest has been known to the fen-men from time immemorial; but the stories, both ancient and modern, as to old bog-wood being found which showed traces of having been hewn by man, even in the rudest fashion, are fabulous. ”

“ The produce per acre of timber, bark, poles, and brush was estimated at an average of £45 7s., cut once in twenty-three years, or £1 19s. 5d. per acre per annum. It was considered that the same land would not produce in an arable farm more than 10s. or 12s. an acre.
Lincolnshire now possesses the following seven deer parks: [13] —Brocklesby Park (the Earl of Yarborough) has an acreage of 1,000 acres, and is about three miles in length by one in breadth. It is well-timbered, and is bordered by various plantations. The fallow deer number about 350. ”

“ The official agricultural returns show how steady has been the growth of arboriculture in this county during the last quarter of a century. In 1891 the woods of Lincolnshire, excepting recent plantations, covered 39,490 acres; the plantations of the last ten years occupied 1,342 acres, giving the total for 1891 of 40,832. In 1895 the woods, excepting young plantations, covered 41,425 acres; the plantations since 1881 had an area of 1,702 acres, bringing up the full total to 43,127. ”