Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 267 - May/June 1971
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.
Visit of Commissioners to Northern Ireland
At the invitation of the Ministry of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Forestry Commissioners visited Northern Ireland in May to view the work of the Forestry Division. Details of the visit are given.
Partnership and Common Interests in Timber Industry
A report on Commission Chairman Lord Taylor of Gryfe's speech at the annual luncheon of the Home Timber Merchants' Association of England and Wales in London's Guildhall on 28th April 1971.
Award of the Balfour-Browne Deer Trophy
Mr Lea MacNally, Warden-Naturalist to the National Trust of Scotland at Torridon, Wester Ross, has been awarded the Balfour-Browne Deer Trophy for 1970, in recognition of his outstanding work and studies of British deer.
Mr MacNally is the author of two books, "Highland Year" and "Highland Deer Forest".
Information Wanted
Mr Alan F. Mitchell at Alice Holt has requested information on outstanding specimens of trees and shrubs throughout the country. He intents the information to be included in the revised edition of W.J. Bean's book "Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles".
Alan Mitchell has been compiling the information for 15 years and has recorded details of 30,000 different specimens.
B.E.M. Presentations
Mr Kenneth W. Clark, Head Ranger at Greskine Forest, received the British Empire Medal from the Lord Lieutenant of Dumfriesshire, Mr K.M. McCall, at Beattock House Hotel, Dumfries on 24th May 1971.
In recognition of their bravery in ploughing the ex War Department artillery range at Trawsfynydd in specially armoured tractors, turning up 900 live missiles and 20 tons of dead shells on an 800 acre site, Mr John Tudor Jones and Mr Douglas E. McRobert have been awarded the British Empire Medal.
The Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire, Capt. J. Hext Lewes presented the B.E.M. to Mr Jones at the Llanafan Village Hall, near Aberystwyth on 27th April 1971.
The Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire, Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn presented the B.E.M. to Mr McRobert at Chirk on 3rd May 1971.
New Publications
The Lindsey Project for the Improvement of the Environment "Lindsey Pie", exists to encourage voluntary bodies to work together to preserve and promote high quality environment in the countryside.
The Lindsey Pie report is by Mr John D. Leefe, B.Sc (Forestry) in his capacity as the Project Officer. He was seconded from his position as Training Officer with the Commission's Education and Training Branch at Basingstoke, to undertake the project.
The project was set up as a consequence of the Second Conference on "The Countryside in 1970", which was sponsored by Lindsey County Council and the Lindsey and Holland Rural Community Council, and was largely financed from a grant by the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust. It was managed by a Steering Committee drawn from the sponsors, the Countryside Commission and the National Council of Social Service.
The Country Code in Colour
A colourfully illustrated 20-page booklet has been released by the Countryside Commission, setting out the ten points of "code of conduct for the guidance of persons visiting the countryside". The Commission will assist in the Code's circulation by distributing copies at agricultural shows, exhibitions etc.
Fire Blight Disease
A new leaflet issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries entitled "Fireblight on Ornamental Trees and Shrubs" is being sent to commercial nurseries in South-Eastern England and East Anglia. The leaflet contains information on the symptoms of the disease, its spread, the types of trees and shrubs liable to infection and advice on methods of prevention and control.
"Instant" Timber Designs For Farm Building
The use of computer processing techniques has enabled the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA) to produce economical designs for general purpose sheds. Designers and manufacturers can produce instant designs of portal frame buildings.
Barking Up The Right Tree
Oil slicks which occasionally threaten America's coastal waters, bays and beaches and cause damage to marine life, can be soaked up by a relatively inexpensive product of its southern forests, according to the Texas Forest Products Laboratory located at Lufkin, Texas. Dry shredded pine bark from Southern yellow pines can absorb three times its own weight in crude oil in a few seconds.
Timberlab is following up this original line of research.
Every Little Helps
The season for moss-gathering opens on 1st June and concessions for moss-gathering provide a useful cash profit for the Commission each year. Gatherers are wise enough to leave enough growing to ensure its natural regeneration for the future.
Good moss is in demand, mainly from florists for wreaths and hanging baskets, and much of it is sent to Covent Garden.
Some highly specialised forms of moss are used by hospitals in surgical operations, and by industry as dye extractives.
World Forestry Congress
Between 1968-1970, a TRADA research team, led by Dr O.P. Hansom, Deputy Director of Research, carried out a comprehensive investigation into the transport and handling of tropical hardwoods. The reports are available from TRADA.
Destruction of Birds of Prey Campaign
Britain's population of birds of prey species, including kestrels, owls, ospreys and golden eagles are beginning to build up again after the severe decline during the 1960s. According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, widespread destruction by game preserving interests is largely to blame. Birds of prey in Britain and throughout most of Europe are fully protected by law.
Triple Attraction for Visitors
Local landowner, Mrs E. Murray Usher of Cally, opened three new attractions for the public: - A new caravan site at Talnotry; a wild goat park; the Galloway Deer Museum at Clatteringshaws. These ventures will assist the development of tourism in the South West area of Scotland.
Natural Environment Research Council Appointments
The Natural Environment Research Council announced that Mr H.A. Maxwell, former Conservator for North Scotland, has succeeded Sir Charles G. Connell as Chairman of the Conservancy's Scottish Committee.
Lord Tweedsmuir, Mr S.A.J. Oldham and Dr D.M. Henderson have joined the Committee in succession to Lord Doune, Professor R. Miller and Dr G.M. Dunnet.
Mr. E. Richards and Dr D.A. Bassett have joined the Conservancy's Committee for Wales.
Mr L. Phillips and Dr R. Rees Prytherch have retired.
Professor A.D. Bradshaw has become Chairman of the Conservancy's Scientific Policy Committee on the retirement of Professor A.R. Clapham.
Dr P. H. Nye and Mr H.A. Maxwell have joined the Committee, from which Sir Charles G. Connell and Professor R.O. Buchanan have also retired.
Agricultural Research Council Appointment
The Agricultural Research Council has appointed Mr J.A. Cole-Morgan, B.Sc. (Agriculture) to the post of Information Officer on the headquarters staff.
Egg-Laying Pine Marten
Mike Long, D.F.O. at Moffat, S (S) recalls a conversation he overheard two years ago at the Commission's Jubilee Exhibition in Edinburgh, and believes it may help to have more clarity in the exhibits.
Mr. "Butch" Murray and ex-Commission Forester, now a senior taxidermist at the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh, was assisting in the Wild Life Trust exhibit. One afternoon, while passing the Pine Marten's enclosure, he put therein two hens' eggs as supplementary diet. A few moments later, a school teacher stopped in front of the enclosure labelled "Pine Marten" with her young pupils and said "Now, children, here you see a Pine Marten's nest with two eggs" (she had obviously heard of Sand Martins and House Martins). At that moment, a Pine Marten came out of its place of hiding, took one of the eggs and started to eat it. The teacher let out a scream and cried "Children, look at that horrible black rat eating the Pine Marten's egg".
Mike Long also has some amazing comments to make about the forms some people use to address letters to Commission staff. A letter to a Forester at Glenbreck was addressed: "Her Madgits Forestry Comishun, Twedsmuir". Two letters of enquiry about jobs in forestry for school-leavers were addressed: "The Director General of the Forestry, High Street, Moffat and the Super-Visor Forrestry Comision, Moffat".
The Screamers
A report in the press recently said villagers on the island of Ulawa in the Eastern Solomons claim to be frightening trees to death by screaming at them. They have used this ancient skill to kill off trees that are too big to chop down. To kill a tree, a village elder creeps up to it very early in the morning and suddenly utters a piercing yell close to its trunk. This goes on for a month until the tree dies, according to local belief, from the shock of being awakened from sleep so early, so violently and so often.
Know Your Conifers
Chief Forester Jack Jennings, Crychan Forest, South Wales, has some interesting observations to make on cones.
In 43 years of forestry, he has never seen a Norway spruce regenerate naturally. He has seen many other trees regenerate at elevations up to 1,000 feet. He also has some observations on Douglas fir cones.
Employee Performance Appraisal - The Rix Guide
Mr A. Rix, District Officer, NE (E) Conservancy gives a "Definition of a Management Seminar" and has produced a humorous guide to Employee Performance Appraisals.
Bombed in the Forest
Mr R.W. Waters, Dovey Valley Forest, Wales, was travelling in his Landrover at about 5 mph on one of the highest roads in the Dovey Valley, when something struck the side window.
Pieces of what appeared to be broken glass entered the Landrover through the open window and struck him on the shoulder and in the eye, without causing any injury.
On stopping to inspect, there appeared to be several pieces of glass on his jacket, but nothing more. He has come to the conclusion that it was ice dropping from a low flying aircraft, which was in the area at the time.
Kidney Transplant
Mr Tom Rickerby is back working with the Road Squad at Thornthwaite after a successful kidney transplant at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, last year.
Christmas Card Competition
Dennis Boyd of Basingstoke HQ and Mrs Tucker are appealing for designs for the Commissions' 1971 Christmas cards.
Retirement Advice
Danny Morgan, who retired recently as Chief Forester in charge of Cymer Forest, has some advice for those nearing or contemplating retirement.
Retirements
Mr John Robertson (Robbie Robertson), Senior Messenger, London HQ., has retired after 23 years' service with the Commission.
Mr A.H. Cameron, Chief Forester, Thornthwaite Forest, NW (E), has retired after 43 years' service with the Commission.
Mr W.H. Morrill, Forester, Hope Forest, has retired after joining the Commission in 1938.
Mr Ray J.G. Horne, Assistant Conservator, East Scotland, has retired. He attended Benmore Training School in 1935 and started his Forester service at Inverliever and Inverinan in W (S).
Mr J.L. Broll (Jimmy Broll), Head Forester, Eddleston Water, has retired after starting his forestry career on private estates in Galloway, before joining Benmore Forestry School in 1936, then becoming a Ganger at Newcastleton.
Mr K.W. Towns (Ken Towns), Head Forester, Clydesdale has retired after joining the Commission at Seaton Nursery and Clashindarroch Forest, Aberdeenshire in 1929.
Mr J.R. Harkness (Jack Harkness), Head Forester, Edgarhope, has retired after starting work as a Forest Worker at Newcastleton in 1925.
Mr J.R. Davidson (Jock Davidson), Head Forester, Duns Forest, has retired after serving 49 years with the Commission. He started as a Forest Worker at Dalbeattie Forest in 1922.
Mr Marius F. Carruthers, Head Forester, Elibank and Traquair Forest, has retired after 37 years' service with the Commission. He started working with the Commission in 1933 in Newcastleton and went to Benmore Forestry School in 1936-38.
Presentations
Mr John Robertson (Robbie Robertson), Senior Messenger, London HQ, retirement presentation in the Headquarters' Conference Room.
Mr A.H. Cameron, Chief Forester, Thornthwaite Forest, NW (E), retirement presentation in the Royal Oak, Braithwaite.
Mr Ray J.G. Horne, Assistant Conservator, East Scotland, retirement presentation at a Conservancy dance at the Amatola Hotel, Aberdeen on 2nd April. Later in April, the H.T.M.A.S. held a dinner in his honour in Perth.
Mr J.L. Broll (Jimmy Broll), Head Forester, Eddleston Water, retirement presentation at the Countryside Inn, Glentress.
Mr K.W. Towns (Ken Towns), Head Forester, Clydesdale, retirement presentation at the Countryside Inn, Glentress.
Mr J.R. Harkness (Jack Harkness), Head Forester, Edgarhope, retirement presentation of garden tools.
Mr J.R. Davidson (Jock Davidson), Head Forester, Duns Forest, retirement celebration at the Countryside Inn, Glentress.
Mr Marius F. Carruthers, Head Forester, Elibank and Traquair Forest, retirement celebration at the Countryside Inn, Glentress.
R.S.A. Fellowship
Congratulations to Mr E.H. MacMillen, the Commission's Chief Engineer, who has been honoured by election to Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts.
Obituaries
Mr Albert L. Mitchell, who retired last January, as Head Forester, Private Woodlands, Norfolk, died on 5th March.
Mr Rex C. Kirkland, Head Forester, Entomology Section, Northern Research Station, has died aged 53 years.
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