Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 199 - July 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.
The Forestry Exhibition?
A report of the forestry exhibition at Blackbushe in June 1964 which was attended by H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh. The total attendance was 15,000 - 16,000.?
Forester William Davies of South East England, who was demonstrating tree-climbing by "bicycle" had the misfortune to fall for some distance and strike his head on the stem. He recovered himself courageously after taking such a blow.
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Obituaries?
Mr Leonard Butter, retired Forester in charge of Talybont, South Wales Conservancy since the forest was started in 1937 died last month.?
Mr R.C.B. Gardner, O.B.E. (Bruce Gardner) former Secretary of the Royal Forestry Society has died, aged 74 years.
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Presentations?
Mr J.P. Mackie-Whyte, former Chief Land Agent, Scotland, retirement presentation in the Edinburgh office after a reception in the Royal British Hotel where more than 20 senior Commission staff members were present.
During the exhibition at Blackbushe, Miss M.J. Eden of Headquarters was presented by the FAO-ECE delegates with a gold brooch as appreciation of her part in organising their meetings and tours in this country.
In The Swim?
Congratulations to Forester R.D. Anderson of Inglewood Forest, North West England who has qualified for the Royal Life Saving Society's advanced safety award.
To achieve the award, part of the test required him to give a demonstration of artificial respiration, swim 100 yards in trousers and shirt within four minutes, tread water for three minutes, recover a 10lb object from a depth of six feet, remove all clothing except swimming costume in less than 20 seconds while in deep water, swim 200 yards on his back without using his arms and swim 200 yards in free style other than backstroke. All of these tests were performed continuously.
Mr Anderson, aged 48 has also qualified for the Silver Award for proficiency in personal survival which involved swimming 100 yards in less than three minutes and? swimming half a mile.
Norway Trip?
Messes Shepherd, Shuttleworth and Scurrah from Fountains Forest, Noth East England have obtained work at the Evenstead Forestry Training School in the Osperdalen district of Eastern Norway until their return to Fountains Forest in September.
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A Correction?
Mr James Allan, Forester in the East Scotland Conservancy has become Provost of Ladybank, and was not as previously reported, elected Lord Provost of Ladybank, Fife.
The First Sawmill?
In response to a comment in a recent issue about the date of the first sawmill being erected, Mr P. Hunter, Research Branch Office, Edinburgh says the first reference to a sawmill in Deeside was in 1732 when Peter Coutts of Balmoral contracted to erect a two-saw water-powered sawmill which was operated by Archibald Grant.
Antiquarian Finds in East Scotland
Professor R.D. Lockhart of the Department of Anatomy in Aberdeen University reports on an antiquarian find of a partly broken cinerary urn containing the bones of a small person, which was found in Drumtochty Forest, Kincardineshire, East Scotland. The urn is now in the University's Anthropological Museum. Other finds include a bronze age cist containing a skeleton, found in Glenisla Forest, Angus and a Charles I gold coin found in Durris Forest, Aberdeenshire, which proved to be an English (London) 20s piece with a date mark 1640-41, possibly lost by one of Cromwell's soldiers during the siege of Dunnottar Castle.
Deer Control Handbook
Details of a deer control handbook by H.A. Fooks and John Hotchkis which is the first publication by the British Deer Society.
News from South Wales
At the end of the planting season in Brechfa, South Wales in 1960, a Forester planted a surplus of Lodgepole pine on the lower side of a newly made road to fix the loose soil. There was little upward movement in the first year, but since then, many of the trees have grown over 14 feet and some are now over 16 feet, all strong and vigorous.
In 1955-6 Mr John Phillips, a forest worker at Talybont, South Wales planted two acres of Japanese Larch at Cwm Farm under the Llangattock cliffs, which have flourished and are approaching the brashing stage.
Grouse
Assistant Forester G.N. Barry of Kielder Forest, North East England believes the colder, wetter weather influences the timing of Grouse nesting and egg laying.
In The Loch
A mechanical loader which was due for write-off, had a power failure while loading gravel on the shore of a freshwater loch. When the brakes failed, the operator, not knowing he should drop the shovel to act as a brake, jumped clear before the tractor ran down the beach and ended up with 20 feet of water over it. A sale offer of £50 was accepted from someone with a friend who was a diver on a nearby waterway and had no difficulty in extracting the machine.
Staff Outings
The annual educational outing of South Scotland Conservancy Office was to the Tweed Valley and included visits to Glenbreck, Glentress Forest, Cardrona, Elibank, Traquair, Yair Hill and Bowhill Estate. Divisional Officer W.N. Gibson, District Officer N.M. Brown, Forester A.R. McLaren, Forester W.R. Rae and Chief Clerk T. Farmer assisted in the visits.
31 members of the Edinburgh staff attended this year's educational outing to Kielder Forest and village via Wauchope Forest in South Scotland.
Organisation Committee
Constructive proposals are invited from employees to enhance the Commission's development, which will be considered by the newly formed Organisation Committee.