VILLAGERS AND WOOD.
Every countryman noticed how during the coal strike the countryside was raided for wood. Never was such a tidying up of fallen trifles. The fashion set at that crisis has not at all abated. There was then unparalleled purchasing of axes and saws ; and these are now being employed upon living tim- ber in any place where ownership is at all vague. A good deal of so-called "six months land " exists in the country ; and in some places the hedge timber round or upon this has been most vigorously attacked. Even holly trees have been cut, not for Christmas decoration, but for use as Yule logs. No protests have been raised. Why should they be raised ?
Many countrymen feel that much more public use might habitually be made of now useless timber. The English villager might well have some of the facilities open to the French villager and be officially given more opportunity to stoke his home fires with local trees and kindling.
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