Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 3 - March 1948
The scanned images of the Slasher were produced by and courtesy of the Forest Research Data and Information Team staff based at Roslin, where some of the original copies are located. The Forestry England Information Knowledge Management Team and New Forest Heritage made available copies of The Slasher from their collections. Brian Mahony of the FC Retirement Association devised and coordinates the Slasher Project and has been instrumental in locating many missing editions and coordinating the searches to locate all the earlier publication numbers.
The content summary below was again very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment link below the text summary to view the full document. A total of over 420 issues or publications were produced between January 1948 and the final publication in 2010.
The Agricultural Shows
Preparatory work progresses in connection with the staging of exhibits at the major Agricultural Shows. Because of the need for recruiting local help, it may be of interest to some readers to know the proposed programme. There may be adjustments or even deletions, but so far as is known at present the Commission hopes to participate at these shows: -
Shropshire and West Midland Show, Shrewsbury (May 19-20); Bath and West, Cardiff (May 26-29); Suffolk Agricultural Association (June 2-3); Three Counties Show, Gloucester (June 8-10); Sussex County Show, Hastings (June 16-17); Royal Counties Agricultural Society, Salisbury (June 23-25); Norfolk Agricultural, Norwich (June 30-July 1); Royal English Agricultural Society, York (July 6-9); Bedfordshire Agricultural Society, Bedford (July 16-17); Tunbridge Wells and S.E. Counties, Tunbridge Wells (July 20-21); Lancashire Royal Agricultural Society, Burnley (July 29-August 2); Workington and District Agricultural Society, Workington (August 5-7).
It is also intended that the Commission shall exhibit at the Highland Show at Inverness.
Call of King Willow
Plans for an all-Forestry Commission cricket team with Bramshaw being selected as a pitch. Supporters of the venture are Secretary of the Deputy Surveyor's Office, E. Roberts, Divisional Officer, G.D. Rouse, Forester A. Holloway (who captained the team last year) and Forester G. Broomfield. Other playing members are likely to include Foresters J. Adams, H.B. James, A.L. James, L.H. Coles and F.J. Green; Keepers G. Smith, B. Smith, and G. Blake; Foremen A. Freeth, W. Deal and R. Meech; G. Masters of the Office Staff; Chief Clerk R. Coote; C.A. Bassett and Assistant Engineer P. Blood.
The Ski Patrol
After heavy snow-fall at Carrick Forest, one of the largest in the South Scotland Conservancy and extending to some 40,000 acres in the wild Galloway region, Foreman R.C. Calder used his skis to make payment of wages to squads at Tarryfessock and Tairlaw, which are 9 miles apart with a hill rising to 1,500 feet between them.
More Parties
A coach party of Headquarters staff visited Alice Holt Research Station for a social event. Chief Clerk E.C. Harper welcomed the visitors. Miss Emsley (HQ.) arranged the tea partaken during the journey. Miss Moss (HQ.) arranged many of the games and provision of the transport.
The Alice Holt canteen is proving a success due to the work by the Committee on the management side, and on the production side, to the industrious cook Mrs Strugnell and her husband.
Over 50 people attended a party at Northerwood House, New Forest on January 16 including Deputy Surveyor D.W. Young, Divisional Officer G.D. Rouse and District Officers H. Cruickshank and R. MacDonald from New Park School. The co-operation of Miss Ingram and District Officer L.G.T. Kenyon contributed much to the success of the party.
A children's party arranged at Alice Holt Research station included the appearance of Santa Claus (R.B. Hetherington) and helpers Misses Sharpe, Turner, McMahon, Mrs Hendrie and Mrs Strugnell.
Bouquet
Divisional Officer G.D. Rouse is praised in a National Savings News broadcast for helping to stimulate interest among the Commission's employees in the New Forest.
Staff Training
An outline of the training scheme on forestry practice for clerical staff in the South Wales Conservancy. Lectures have been arranged with Mr G.B. Ryle, Conservator; District Officer Pallett; Private Woodlands Officer Sanzen Baker; Head Forester H.C. Young; Divisional Officer W.D. Russell; District Officer L.H. Williams and District Officer Arends (Estates).
Innocent at Large at Alice Holt
The Innocent at large, writes E.C. Harper, who recently went to Alice Holt as Chief Clerk, gazes with reverence and awe at the notepaper solemnly headed "Forest Research Station," What romance is conjured! Let them keep their atomic energy and other research stations. What have they that can compare with Alice Holt? What have they?
The recently opened canteen is truly the place for "shop". While standing in the queue and watching, speculatively, a poor soul trying to negotiate bodies and tables while balancing several plates of soup, our Innocent is asked by a harassed stenographer - "Mycorrhiza: how do you spell it?" He, spellbound at the feat involved in balancing the liquid nourishment, replies; "I don't smell anything". "No, spell it, not smell it". "Spell what?" "Mycorrhiza". "Spell it! Never heard of it, but we're probably both right. With a name like that it must smell."
At table the Mensuration Officer is going into raptures over a dendrometer. "What on earth is a dendrometer?" asks our Innocent. Tolerantly comes the reply: "Aren't you ignorant? Obviously, it is something which dendromets. "
At the same table is seated the Forest Pathologist. Trembling at his own boldness, our Innocent ventures to ask on what is the F.P. working at the moment, and receives a learned, discourse on Poplar canker, and a verbal introduction to the merits of an ingenious contrivance known as a Packaway ladder.
Our Innocent, it will be seen, lives in an atmosphere full of romance, replete as it is with talk of quarter-girths (no connection with rationing or the New Look), Ips typographus (pronounced, he notices, as though one has ’hiccups’), and diverse other borers, predators and parasites. He sighs over the passing of the only two Saints (N. & S.) the Commission ever had, and makes his way slowly back to his Estacode and Accounts - Gen. 8. He conjures up more of the aforementioned awe and reverence as he looks once more at the notepaper headed "Forest Research Station". "Let them", he muses, "keep their - no, I've already thought of that".
Yea, there is romance at Alice Holt, if only you know where to find it.
Reference to former abbreviated designations given to Silviculturists - St. (N) and St. (S). Objection to the abbreviation came from above - that is from Headquarters, not Heaven. - Editor.
Help for the Needy
As a Departmental Agent of the Civil Service Benevolent Fund, Derrick Smith (Secretariat HQ.) mentions the benefits of membership. To reach a contribution target of £500 a year, a 2d subscription per week for eligible personnel would ensure the target is reached.
Local Office Agents are F.C. Baldwin; J.C. Blott; E. Hewitt; G. Taylor; Miss M. Manicom; Miss V.R. Leete; R. Coote; T.W. Morris; T. Edwards; W.C. Evans; L.H. Grinsted; C. Edward; James Skinner; Miss J.M.D. Thomson; A. Liddell; J.A.B. MacDonald; Miss J.M.A. Sharpe.
The Work They Do (No. 2)
Details of the work done in the Application of Conditions of Service department at HQ. by A.D. Palmer (Establishment); J.S. Overy, Mrs Crabb, A.J Walker, and the Misses Emsley, Allan and Holmes.
In the Welsh Directorate
Statistics and details of the functions of the Accounts Section of the Welsh Directorate Office, which is controlled by F.L.G. Edwards. Miss McNeil is in direct charge and is assisted by Mrs Latham and C.E. Morris.
Thefts of Christmas Trees
In December, the Information Officer informed the B.B.C. about a plot by "spivs" in the Home Counties to select trees for subsequent removal by marking them. Similar markings were found at Delamere Forest in the North West Conservancy. The attempted raid was thwarted.
Appointments
Mr J.M.B. Brown, Ecologist, Alice Holt Lodge;
Mr H.L. Loughborough, Pathologist's Field Assistant, Alice Holt Lodge;
Miss Garden (formerly with the Women's Timber Corps), Census Branch;
Miss Davies (formerly with the Women's Timber Corps), Census Branch;
Mr Aslanowicz, Census Branch;
Mr Mackiewiecz, Census Branch;
Mr Choate (from Burma), Census Branch.
Leaving
Mr O. Kerfoot, Mensuration Officer's Assistant, Alice Holt, has left to commence a forestry course at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Mr Steve Tyszowiecki, Alice Holt, has left for a post in South Africa.
Marriages
H.S. Hanson, from Alice Holt.
H. Farr, from Alice Holt.