Copse, or COPPICE, a natural wood or plantation, of which the trees are cut over from time to time, without being allowed to attain the size of timber-trees, sending up new shoots from their roots or stools. Some kinds of trees—as the firs—are incapable of being treated in this manner, refusing to send up new shoots; but many—as the oak, birch, chestnut, ash, elm, maple, alder, hazel, and willow—very readily do so, at least if they have not been allowed to attain too considerable a size before being cut over. Copse-woods are sometimes planted chiefly to vary and beautify the landscape, but more generally with a view to profit.
It often happens that, owing to scantiness of soil or to unfavourable subsoil, oaks and other trees, after growing vigorously for a number of years, are arrested, and remain almost stationary in their growth. In such circumstances, it is advantageous to cut them over early, and to treat the plantation as a copse. Oak is much planted as copse-wood, in consequence of the demand for its bark: in some parts of Herefordshire, the trees are cut over every twelve years; but in the Highlands of Scotland, twenty-five or thirty years are often necessary for sufficient growth. The largest pieces of the wood are used for making wheel-spokes, and for other purposes of timber; the smaller portions for charcoal and firewood. Ash-coppice is serviceable for handles of implements, hurdles, hoops. Chestnut copse are planted in England to supply hop-poles. Hazel is in great demand for making crates, &c. Besides the cultivation of different kinds of willow or osier for basket-making, in which they are cut over annually, some of the species are cultivated as copse, and cut every five, six, or seven years, for hoops, crates, &c. (see WILLOW). In some countries, copse-wood affords a valuable supply of fuel.