Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 197 - May 1964
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.
Retirements
Mr J.P. Mackie-Whyte joined the Commission in 1926 as a District Officer in South East England, transferring to Scotland in 1930. He was appointed an O.B.E. in the Birthday Honours of 1959. Mr Mackie Whyte will be succeeded by Mr Geoffrey Forrest, currently Chief Land Agent in Wales.
The Forestry Exhibition - an update
The Commission is arranging the forestry exhibition at Blackbushe, near Camberley on the 17th - 18th June 1964. The number of entries has exceeded all expectations. A short history of the major forestry exhibition held in Edinburgh in 1884 is given in this edition of Slasher. The details were reported in "Transactions of the Scottish Aboricultural Society", Volume 11, 1887.
Publication Reviews
Wood From Forest to Man by Bryan Latham, a Forestry Commissioner from 1957 to 1963 is published by Harrap. The reader, particularly the layman, cannot fail to be intrigued by such statements as: "You would be surprised if an expert added up for you the percentage of your underclothes, dresses, suits and stockings that originally formed part of a tree growing in some part of the world or other. Then we have turpentine, wood gas, wood alcohol and many other chemicals produced from wood and used in industry." The history of forestry in this country is well summarised and includes credit to the Commission for its role in relatively more recent years.
There are chapters on forest research and identification of species and many other facts, namely that the first sawmill erected in Great Britain was built by Charles Dingley at Limehouse in 1761. It was driven by wind and vanes and was almost immediately destroyed by a mob of pit sawyers who saw their livelihood endangered.
Kites in Wales
A report on kites in Wales in 1963 is published by the Council for Nature. It gives a full analysis and concludes there are probably 39 kites plus four young birds of this breeding season. The cause of failed breeding is believed to be due to the carrion eating kites feeding on sheep casualties, which have wool impregnated with dieldrin used in sheep-dips. The report has many more details about the kites in Wales.
Ospreys Return
A pair of ospreys has returned to the Loch Garten area of Strathspey and are now incubating eggs in the same nest they have used in previous years. The cock and hen arrived on 6th & 7th April 1964. A second pair has begun to build an eyrie on a new site on Speyside.
Alice in Wanderland
Alice, a horse with a history is working at Blengdale, North West England. She has a tendency to wander, especially in the direction of sweets and apples. Alice and her owner Miles Blundell had been working on extraction of timber at Grizedale, on the other side of the main mountain massif of the Lake District before coming to Blengdale. After working at Blengdale on the remote Scalderskew area, Alice was put out to graze in a field adjoining the Stockdale Moor during the weekend. She missed her shift on the Monday when she was wanted to despatch pulpwood from the saw. Searchers failed to find her on the Monday and Tuesday. Rumours placed her at Seatallan and she was believed to have shared some sandwiches in the company of fell-walkers on Pillar Mountain before heading for Red Pike. At dawn on Wednesday, she was back in the Scalderskew pasture ready to continue her role in timber production.
The Things That Happen
The staff of the Roudham Beat of Thetford Forest, East England have had their work enlivened by activities of the military on adjacent heathland. The latest incident was the dropping of supplies by parachute. One four ton container landed on the main Ely to Norwich railway line which passes through the forest. Prompt telephoning by Assistant Forester Nicolson made it possible for the next train to be warned in time. The rails were badly bent, so the train had to reverse several miles in order to be diverted onto the other track. Other parachutes landed in the plantations and the nursery, but fortunately no heavy containers fell on the seedbeds, otherwise Roudham's reputation for high yields of seedlings might well have been lost.
Natural History
Sid Atkinson, Warrener at Hambleton Forest, N.E. England gives details on the rearing and training of fox cubs. Some can be raised on the bottle - cow's milk and a spoonful of treacle or they may be suckled by the cat. Later, they graduated to beef, rabbit, toffees with a fondness for liquorice allsorts.
Transfers: District Officers
J.N. Kennedy from Ipswich, E. (E) to Edinburgh
L.C. Troup from Barnstaple, SW (E) to Alice Holt, Work Study
A.A. Rowan from Rothbury, NE (E) to S. Laggan, Work Study
A.W.L. Guile from Bangor, N (W) to Aberystwyth
D.M.B. Yorke from Dolgellau, N (W) to Lyndhurst, New
N.S. Munro from Ringwood, New to Northampton, E (E)
J.T. Wildash from Northampton to Ringwood
D.F.C. Forbes from Glentress, S (S) to Dalbeattie, S (S)
Transfers: Foresters
J.A. Parker from Mortimer to Kershop, NW (E)
R.P.C. Woollard from Bawtry to Sherwood, BW (E)
A.T. Liddell from Elibank to Cardrona, S (S)
H. McKay from Kershope to Greystoke, NW (E)
W. Grant from Greystoke to Grizedale, NW (E)
G.J. Southgate from Elvedon, E (E) to Lavenham, E (E)
J.B. White from Lavenham to Aldewood, E (E)
Transfers: Assistant Foresters
G.G. Mitchell from Dymock, SW (E) to Cotswold, SW (E)
A.A. Ward from Sherwood to Matlock, NW (E)
F.C. Birch from Matlock to Sherwood
N. Mackell from Glenbranter, W (S) to Benmore, W (S)
G. Bruce from Working Plans, D (W) to Working Plans, D (E)
G.N. Kearns from Bodmin, SW (E) to Wark, NE (E)
B.F. Edwards from Ceiriog, N (W) to Ag. Show Unit, HQ
I.C. Embry from Brightling, SE (E) to Ag. Show Unit
E.B. Jury from Kershope to Kesteven
J. Carter from Sleetbeck to Dean
Transfer: Superintendent of Works
J.H. Dargie from Nevis, N (S) to Fort Augustus, N (S)
Transfer: Higher Executive Officer
P.A. Merka from Cambridge to Aberystwyth
Transfers: Executive Officers
W.D. Gordon from HQ to Dumfries
J. Millar from Chapelhall, D (S) to Glasgow
A. Oswald from Inverness to Chapelhall
R. Palmer from York to HQ
R. Price from Shrewsbury to York
Transfers: Clerical Officers
Miss D. Lloyd from Aberystwyth to HQ
Miss G.R. Norton from Education to Woking, SE (E)
A.D. Marshall from London to New
Golf News From Edinburgh
Thirteen players took part in the competition at Glencorse. The winner was the Club captain J.T. Bissett (H.E.O.). Second was H.M. Brown (E.O.). Third was J.W. Blane (Mech. Engineer).
Twenty six members and friends, including Sir Arthur Gosling (President) and Lady Gosling, went to the Spring outing at Longniddry. Strong winds were reflected in the higher than usual scores. The exception was Mr J. Innes from the South Conservancy, a newcomer to the outings, who was playing from scratch. He overcame the conditions for a 74 and won the Sutherland Cup and the scratch prize. Second place and the Guest Cup went to J.B. Stent (C.O. Edinburgh) with a net 76. Third equal with 81 were A.L. Rae and D. Young. Mr Rae also won the second scratch prize. The section winners were (A) Mr H.M. Brown with 82, (B) Mr J. Outerson with 84 and (C) J. Cameron and A. Cowan with 87. The Sweepstake winners were Mr J.T. Bissey and Mr F. Oliver.
Presentation
Mr I.F. MacIver, District Officer, was entertained at a dinner by his friends and colleagues on the eve of his departure to North Devon. Mr A.T.G. Gunter, Head Forester, made a presentation on behalf of well-wishers and welcomed his successor Mr D. Campbell.
Congratulations: Engagement
Congratulations to Miss Priest and Mr Bob Affleck, both of Savile Row on their engagement.