Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 190 - October 1963
The digitisation of the Slasher was undertaken by, and images courtesy of, the Forest Research Knowledge and Information Management staff based at both the Northern Research Station in Roslin, Scotland and Alice Holt in Surrey, where the original copies are currently located.
The content summary below was very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment link below the text to view the full document. A total of over 400 issues were produced between 1948 and the final issue in 2010.
Proposed Forestry Exhibition
Three forest machinery exhibitions are held consecutively at two-year intervals at Bramshill, Harrogate and Edinburgh. The next exhibition is planned for 17th and 18th June 1964 at Bramshill. Some of the displays will be sited on the fringe of Blackbushe Aerodrome and the nearby plantations will provide a setting for some of the demonstrations.
Northerwood House Social Club Committee Nominations
The reconstitution of the Club has taken place and two members are to be selected to serve on the Committee in succession to Mr C.A.J. Barrington (who is prepared to serve again if re-elected) and Mr Eric Lewis who retired from the Commission recently. Other members of the Committee are W.A. Cormack, W.A. Cadman, J.H. James and the Secretary Mr B. Gale. A nomination form is included with this Slasher edition.
Forest English
H.L. Edlin, our Publicity Officer was glad to see John Voysey's plea for more English and less Latin in our talks and writings, which has been the policy our publications have followed for nearly 30 years. In 1935 the late Professor Fraser Story adopted the current "American English" names for certain new species because he reasoned we will have to sell their timber and no timber merchant is going to learn "fancy Latin".
The English and Latin names are in Bulletin 14 "Forestry Practice".
Here are a few examples:
Western red cedar also known as Thuja plicata
Western hemlock also known as Tsuga heterophylla
Douglas fir (once oddly known as Oregon pine) also known as Pseudotsuga menziesii
Lodgepole pine also known as Pinus cortorta.
"Champion" Until 1970
The record of the tallest tree in Britain, a 181 feet Douglas fir in Powys Castle, Montgomeryshire is being challenged. Mr Allan Mitchell of Alice Holt Lodge reports on a Douglas fir at Dunkeld, Perthshire which is 172 feet tall and is growing strongly and may overtake the Powis champion by 1970.
Mr Mitchell writes in the current issue of the Forestry Commission Journal about the biggest and best oak trees. One of the biggest logs sawn in the West Country was dealt with by Knightshayes Estate Products of Tiverton on a Stenner bandmill saw this year. It was a Sequoia (Californian Redwood) log and weighed six tons, was 12 foot long with a 54 inch quarter girth and a diameter at the butt end of 8 feet. It contained 243 cubic feet of timber.
Who Was Savile?
The Commission's headquarters have used a Savile Row address for 30 years. Research shows that the thoroughfare was probably named after Lady Dorothy Savile (1699-1758) who was the daughter of the second Marquis of Halifax. She married the third Earl of Burlington. Savile Row links New Burlington Street, Old Burlington Street and Burlington Gardens. A bust of the third Earl may be seen over the side entrance to the Civil Service Commission. Among the descendants of Earl Burlington and Lady Dorothy Savile is the Duke of Devonshire, the owner of extensive woodlands on his estate at Chatsworth in Derbyshire.
The Detour
The Yorkshire Post newspaper reports the following incident during a traffic jam.
Central Scotland is lost in admiration for the ingenuity of an anonymous England tourist who quickly sorted out a traffic jam on a single track main road near Garve, Ross and Cromarty. A lorry carrying a wide load became stuck at a point called Silver Bridge.
An A.A. patrolman was trying to sooth the tempers of angry motorists while efforts were made to clear the road. One driver of an imposing saloon suggested that a private road should be used to carry south-bound traffic through the woods to a point two miles beyond the detour. It was explained that the road was Forestry Commission property and banned to the public. The motorist revealed himself as Mr Michael Noble, Secretary of State for Scotland and gave authority for the use of the route. The patrolman then piloted the long traffic queues through the detour.
Everyone was happy until the incident was reported in the local newspaper. Then it was found that at the time of the incident, the real Mr Noble was shooting on a friend's estate in Aberdeenshire, more than 100 miles away.
Stinging Replies
Mr J.F. Clarke, the forester at Fineshade, Rockingham, East England reports on destroying 245 wasp nests between 1st July and 25th September. One nest was apple-shaped and built in a blackthorn coppice surrounded by grass, completely hidden and 12 inches above ground.
Inforesta Drama Group
The Inforesta Drama Group's next production J.B. Priestley's farcical comedy "When We Are Married" will be performed on 24th January 1964 at the Portcullis Theatre.
Congratulations: Marriages
Congratulations on the marriage of Miss P. Price, Forest Clerk at Draethen, South Wales to Mr L. Jones.
Congratulations on the marriage of Miss Alice Drumm, Clerical Officer at Headquarters to Mr R. Lewis, Ministry of Health.
Congratulations: Births
Congratulations to Mr J.R. Fletcher, District Officer, Bakewell NW (E) and Mrs Fletcher on the birth of a son.
Congratulations to Mr G.G. Seal, Executive Officer at Headquarters and Mrs Seal on the birth of a son.
Congratulations to Mr F.W. Thick, Forester, Cotgrave Forest, NW (E) and Mrs Thick on the birth of a daughter.
Thanks
Mr E.D. Blundell, H.E.O. now in the Estates section of the Office of Director, England, wishes to thank his friends and colleagues throughout the South Wales Conservancy for their help and co-operation during his 12 years spent there.
Transfer: District Officers
Mr A.R. Sutton from Chichester, SE (E) to Work Study, Research.
Mr J.E.A. Keen from Reading, SE (E) to Bristol.
Mr A.K. Oram from Devon to South Wales Conservancy.
Presentations
On his transfer to the South Wales Conservancy, Mr A.K. Oram, District Officer in Devon for 10 years was presented with a gift from his colleagues by Miss Heather Stanbury, a member of the Halwill office staff. She also welcomed the new District Officer Mr L.C. Troup.
Transfer: Head Forester
Mr D.A. Cousins from Alice Holt, Research to Research Bristol.
Transfer: Forester
Mr E. Waddelove from Coed-y-Brenin, N (W) to Delamere, NW (E).
Transfers: Assistant Foresters
Mr A.W. Gale from Research, Inchnacardoch to Deer, E (S)
Mr P. Charlesworth from Taf Fawr, S (W) to Crychan, S (W)
Mr D.E. King from Gower, S (W) to Cymmer, S (W)
Mr F.C. Birch from Mortimer, NW (E) to Matlock, NW (E)
Mr J.H. Robertson, Education, Coed-y-Brenin to Education, Gwydyr.
Retirement
Mr F.G. Francis, Forest Clerk at Kennington (Research) Nursery has retired aged 78. He started work at Kennington in 1939. One of his sons, Mr E.R. Francis is a Forester with the Commission at Lindale, N.W. England.
Obituary
Mr Dennis Hugh Bird, former Divisional Officer who retired in 1951 has died. He joined the Commission in 1920 and served mainly in East Scotland.