Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 4 - April 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.
Progress Report
By the end of February 1948, 13,083 acres had been planted, distributed over the three countries as follows: England 6,513 acres, Scotland 4,335 acres and Wales 2,235 acres. The current season's target is 36,022.
A grand total of 15,223 acres had been beaten-up, while-the lining out figure (in thousands) was 45,867 (England 24,938; Scotland 13,243 and Wales 7,687).
The seed collection appears to have been, satisfactory, the target figure being surpassed or closely approached for every species except Japanese Larch and Norway Spruce.
The importance of utilisation of produce is steadily growing, no less than 1,418,153 cubic feet of material having been invoiced during the first four months of the Forest Year 1948. This total includes 285,606 cubic feet of round mining timber. The numbers of intimations to consider dedication had reached a total of 894 by the end of February, involving an area of 506,162 acres.
Long Arm of Coincidence
In last month's issue, reference was made to the temerity of would-be thieves who used markers at Delamere Forest to identify produce they intended to remove and place on the Christmas tree market.
But from W.H. Hamilton (HQ.) comes a story which for sheer effrontery, beats anything heard to date. While on a Christmas visit to his home Mr Hamilton's son, who is farming in the West Country, told his father of a raid on a local chicken farm. The thieves ignored the hens but took all the cockerels except one; behind them they left a note saying: "We have left you this bird so that you may replenish the stock in time for our visit next year."
Human nature being what it is W.H.H. was highly amused.
But that very same night his own chicken houses, in West Kent, were raided. His hens, too were disregarded; all his cockerels - quite a number - except one were stolen. This lone bird, too, is now busily engaged in replenishing stock.
Photographic Competition
Over a hundred photographs were received for this competition, which was judged in March by the Technical Committee.
First prize £5 was awarded to A.D.S. MacPherson, Forest Worker, South Laggan, Scotland, for his photograph of Lophyrus pini on Scots Pine. This particular photograph is an outstanding example of public-plus-technical interest. Its detail is excellent and conveys much to the forester, while it will certainly have an appeal (if somewhat bizarre) to the layman, who is all too ignorant of the problems created by forest tree pests.
Second prize £3 was awarded to M.J. Penistan, District Officer, Dumfries, Scotland, for his photograph of 35-year old European Larch over Chestnut coppice.
Third prize £2 was awarded to J.D. Watson, Forest Worker, Friston, S. England, for his photograph depicting planting on ploughed land.
These photographs may be displayed at this year's agricultural shows and some photographs may be included in the library at HQ.
Brains Trust
Miss Horsham was the Question Master when the Aberystwyth Social Club staged a Brains Trust comprised of Messrs Mackenzie, Bradford and Edwards.
Forest Cameos
J.A.M. Kennedy, District Officer, Forres, writes about Monaughty Forest, about five miles West of Elgin, which was one of the first eleven Forestry Commission forests to be acquired in Scotland. The first planting was in F.Y.21 and the whole unit was planted by F.Y.35. During the war about 90 acres of acquired and some Forestry Commission planted plantations were cut and thus at the present time this is the only planting which has to be done out of a total area of 3,000 acres.
Last year 342 acres were thinned and 80,000 cu. ft. of timber produced.
The Road Section commenced operations in January 1947.
A story in early days is mentioned abut the cry for more production, and about an elderly trapper at Monaughty who incidentally, in his younger days, was reputed to be able to split a cigarette card on edge with a .22 bullet at 20 yards. On the south side of the Forest, the famous Pluscarden Abbey lies in the hollow about 400 yards away from a scree witch is at present being worked by the Road Section. This Abbey was burnt by the Wolf of Badenoch in the fourteenth century and the story is that the Nuns buried their treasures of silver end gold on the hillside above the Abbey, when warned of the approach of the Wolf. The Forester, on his rounds one day, noticed extra activity on this scree and asked the reason. The reply was that our worthy trapper had told the story of the hidden treasure and had informed the workers that the treasure was hidden in that very scree.
Ode to Chopwell
District Officer M.F. Adams contributes the following:
"To be the first forest of the first Division of England was the distinction modestly borne, for all its 800 acres, by Chopwell Woods, sixpenny 'bus ride from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Only Destiny could have provided a name so apt, and we can disregard the philologists who would transcend our simple faith with the medieval "Choppewell" and the Roman derivation "Clappa's 'Well" - a mere watering place. One sighs these days for a little more of that water, for the coal mines have long since drawn off Clappa’s springs, and the low rainfall and drying rigour of the N.E. Coast, with wind, snow and man's industrial pollution, together give a problem in forestry.
"From Elizabethan days, when they became vested in the Crown, those woods have been famous for Oak, and with no thought for the morrow, they were exploited until anxiety for naval timbers persuaded the commissioning of William Billington - of Dean fame - to supervise replanting in the 1820s. How much blew down on Windy Monday (7th June, 1839) and the efforts of James Brown, 20 years later, to repair this damage by clear felling the lot, makes a sad story; but his successful replanting of Larch amid the coppicing hardwoods in 1858, together with the varied and novel introductions of the Armstrong College of Forestry early in this century, promoted a burgeoning which, in the war just passed, realised more than three-quarters of a million cubic feet of saw timber (half million were Conifer), 40,000 cubic feet of poles for pitwood, and much charcoal.
"The harvest still goes on among the younger acquired and older F.C. plantations, giving profitable work in these and the home nurseries, for 20 workers.
"Most of the 360 acres clear felled have now been replanted by Forester John Cumming, and so a new chapter, to which he inscribes his name, is added to the story of Chopwell."
Student Season at Northerwood
A party of students from Cambridge University, led by their lecturer Mr C.H. Thompson, visited Northerwood House on 15th March 1948. District Officer L.G.T. Kenyon led them on a three day tour of the New Forest. In Bolderwood, the students saw the arboretum and the famous bomb crater. Also the 109 ft Douglas Fir which has been felled and peeled in readiness for its erection as a flagstaff at Northerwood House.
A morning was spent at Messrs Burt, Boulton & Haywood's Totton depot to view telegraph poles and sleepers under fabrication and preservative treatment.
One of the lighter moments of the tour, occurred when the students - diverted by their conductor to fight a vigorous fire in the open forest - came face to face with the Keeper, who had gone to much trouble to kindle the fire in order to dispose of a mass of gorse and heather. The conductor remained in the background under cover of the smokescreen during this encounter, but the inescapable Bush Telegraph has done its work and he now passes the Divisional Office with averted head!
The Work They Do (No. 3)
Among other tasks, the "Industrial Section" of HQ's Establishment Branch handles Workmen's Compensation and traffic accident matters. Mr H.G. Hyem is in charge, assisted by Miss A.M. Brooks and Miss V.E. Woodard.
At Cadogan Square
Details of the work done at the Private Woodlands & Nurseries Section in Cadogan Square. In charge is Mr A.W. Matthews, assisted by Jean Tucker, Mr C.A. Carpenter and Mr F.C. Redd. The Section comes under the technical guidance of Mr Wynne Jones (Private Woodlands) and Messrs Connell and Paterson (Plants & Nursery Work).
At Aberystwyth
The Welsh Directorate "Glory-Hole" is manned by H.J. Pope, Miss E.C. Akister and D.E. Hughes, the two former being C.O.s who joined the Commission in October and November, 1946, respectively and the latter a temporary Officer recruited at Aberystwyth. While still in the "nursery" stage, the move to Cymru (Wales to you, foreigners!) took place with Messrs Pope and Kirkwood (the latter since called up for National Service, but still in touch) on the despatching end and D.E. Hughes ably assisted by the locally recruited Messengers - Messrs Johnston, Raftree and Humphreys - on the "sticky" end. No papers were lost en route (it is hoped!) and registry has now settled down as a well oiled, smooth running machine with the motto "Service with a Smile" ever before the staff. It is whispered that having passed the 1 + 0 stage, the staff consider themselves fit for lining out, and the Chief Clerk is waiting with apprehension for the expected deluge of applications from volunteers anxious to have their turn of fun and games with the 5,000 or so files.
After all, says our Aberystwyth correspondent, anyone can answer a simple memo but it takes brains to decide which wrong file to put the copy in!
Where to Get Your Tie
C.H. Munday Ltd of Irving Street, Leicester Square, London, WC2 supply Forestry Commission ties at 7s 9d and one coupon.
Forester’s Illness
Mr S.E. Phelps of Dean, is making good progress after being sick since February 1946.
Highest Forest
The Highest forest in Britain is The Queen's Forest, Glen More in Inverness-shire. Forester J. Fraser could climb to the top of Cairn Gorm, 4,084 feet above sea level without leaving his unit.
Wettest Forest
Beddgelert, Caernarvonshire is believed to be the wettest forest. Forester J.E. Evans sees about 100 inches of rainfall every year.
Furthest From Railways?
Fiunary, Argyll? Forester A. Drysdale has 45 miles to go to see a train at Fort William.
Nearest to Continent
Lyminge Forest, Kent, Forester J.P. Wimbush and his staff live 30 miles from the French coast. They realised how close this was when the flying bombs came over and probably when the German long-range, cross Channel guns were in action.
Transfer
Raymond Fossey, Div. Officer departed for service in S(Scotland) Conservancy.
Appointments
D. Manicom, Sample Plot Party, Alice Holt.
Mr Wharton, Clerical, Alice Holt.
Mr Marchant, Clerical, Alice Holt.
Miss Rumsey, Clerical, Alice Holt.
Leaving
Mr J.H.W. Dailly, C.O., Stationery, HQ. has rejoined the RAF as Flight Lieutenant and is to serve in the Secretarial Branch. He served in the RAF for 17 years before joining the Forestry Commission.
Mr E.S. Child, Census Office, Alice Holt, has resigned.
Miss J. Buckey, Census Office, Alice Holt, has resigned.
Miss M. Morrison, Census Office, has resigned.
Mr J. Christie, Sample Plot Party, Alice Holt, has left for a course at the Gwydyr Forester Training School.
Birth
A son was born to Mrs Forsyth and Mr W. Forsyth, S.E.O., York, NE(E) on 29th February 1948.
Marriages
Rena Hayward, Typist, York, married Roy Palmer (Accounts) on 6th March 1948.
Margaret Grant, Typist, York, married George Armitage on 22nd March 1948.
Obituary
L.B. Wren, Head Keeper, New Forest since May 1936, died on 20th March 1948 aged 59.