Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 24 - December 1949
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.
Culbin Forest
A brief history of the forest of Culbin, on the southern shore of the Moray Firth, from 1694 to the flourishing woodlands of today.
Christmas Tree
District Officer H.L. Edlin of Headquarters is to inspect the huge Christmas tree which is to be erected in Trafalgar Square. This is the third occasion on which a tree has been sent as a gift from Oslo to the people of London. In Trafalgar Square, the tree will be illuminated and seen by many thousands of people.
The importation of Christmas trees is, of course prohibited because of the risk of introducing new diseases and pests into the woodlands of this country, but hitherto an exception has been made in the case of the tree from Oslo, on condition that after display, it is burnt.
The “drill” also includes inspection at dockside, and so it was that D.O. Edlin set forth on a recent Monday morning for Deptford. Armed with a slasher and magnifying glass, he thoroughly inspected the tree and gave it a clean bill of health. This year, for the first time, the ban on the importation of Christmas trees has been lifted in respect of gifts of single trees to major industrial ports.
Who’s Who in the Commission (No. 5)
Head Forester, Mr J.M. Calder of Carron Valley Forest, West Conservancy, Scotland, is an enthusiastic woodworker. He has turned and fashioned cruet sets, standard lamps, powder bowls, candlesticks, ashtrays and egg cups.
He made a lathe from scrap found in a village smithy and has used many different species of timber including rosewood, Indian laurel, ebony, American walnut, jarrah, ivy, laburnum, holly, Spanish chestnut, sycamore, gean, yew and bog oak from Flanders Moss which may have been buried for centuries.
Gaelic and Uncommon Words
District Officer W.A. Johnson, West, Scotland, corrects a reference in the October issue of The Slasher where it was stated that ‘sheugh’ is probably derived from the Gaelic ‘shail’ or ‘shallach’, meaning a heel. He says the accepted word for heel is ‘sail’ (sal). ‘Sheugh’ is an old Scots word of probable Anglo-Saxon origin. It is found in Burns ‘A cottar howking in a sheugh’ or the dog that ‘lap o’er sheugh or dyke’. A sheugh being a ditch or furrow, to ‘sheugh-in’ is to ‘lump’ plants in a furrow.
Mr R.A. Rex, Foreman, Dalby, North East England, seeks the origin of the word ‘snedding’.
Party
The annual party arranged by the South East England Conservancy (Woking) is to be held on 3rd February at the Atalanta Ballroom, Woking.
Mr R.E. Pallett, District Officer, has told of birds drowning in a water tank at Itton Forest in South Wales and suggests such tanks might be covered with old netting, or a piece of wood (anchored by wire) could be placed on the water to allow birds to land on it.
Training Courses and Lectures
Lectures were given by Mr T. Farmer, Chief Clerk; Mr J.E. James, Conservator; Mr J. Webster, Divisional Officer.
Sports
Students of Gwydyr Forester Training School met a Rydal (Colwyn Bay) XV in the first rugby match to be played on the sports field at Betws-y-Coed. Gwydyr won 17-12. Captain G. Lerway, Gwydyr’s pack leader played a fine game and J. England and D. Brown were prominent.
Members of the Gwydyr Club are very proud of their ball. It was used in the Wales v. Scotland R.U. match at Edinburgh in January last, and has been presented to the club by student P. Densham.
Appointments and Movements
Lord Robinson has been reappointed as Chairman of the Forestry Commission.
Lord Radnor and Mr J.M. Bannerman have been re-appointed as members.
Professor John Walton has been appointed a Commissioner in succession to Sir Samuel Strang Steel, whose term of office has expired. He has been Regis, Professor of Botany at the University of Glasgow since 1930 and is a member of the Scottish Committee of the Nature Conservancy. Professor Walton has edited the guides to the National Forest Parks of Argyll and Glenmore.
After serving as Chief Education Officer since the post was created five years ago, Mr J.Q. Williamson MBE, has been appointed Deputy Surveyor of the Forest of Dean succeeding Mr N.A. Wylie, who is leaving the Commission and going to Canada. Mr Williamson was formerly a District Officer in East England. He received an MBE for his outstanding work in connection with the Empire Forestry Conference held in London in 1947. He is succeeded by Mr G.D. Rouse, Divisional Officer, New Forest, who was also a District Officer in East England.
Transfers of District Officers: -
J.A. Dickson from Munlochy, N(S) to Inverness, N(S);
M.E.S. Dickenson from Launceston, SW(E) to Worcester, SW(E);
J.F. Wilson from London (Director, England) to Woking, SE(E);
J.L.F. Ferguson from Alice Holt to Perth, E(S);
K.N.V. Townsend from Glasgow, W(S) to Benmore, W(S).
Transfers of Foresters: -
A. Ross from Glasgow to Aberfoyle, W(S);
D.J. Davies from Highmeadow, Dean to East, Dean;
H.C. Dyer from Yardley, E(E) to West Woods, SW(E);
A. Polwart from Barcaldine, W(S) to Strathyre, W(S);
D.E. Beaumont from Orlestone, SE(E) to Micheldever, SE(E);
E.A. Poll from Stanway, SW(E) to Dartmoor, SW(E);
R. Walton from Brandon, E(E) to Fermyn E(E);
I.M. Garrioch from Fleet, S(S) to Kilgrammie, S(S);
G. Bartlett from Fort Augustus, Research to Mid Ardross, Research;
D. Reid from West Woods to Kings, E(E);
J.P. McRory from Glenbranter, W(S) to Ardgarten, W(S).
Transfers of Foremen: -
H.H. Link from Wyre, SW(E) to Dymock, SW(E);
R.J. Reid from Alice Holt to Bettws-y-Coed, N(W) Research;
E.J. Acott from Yardley, E(E) to Apethorpe, E(E);
E.F. Brewer from Crynant, S(W) to Wyre;
J.A. Ogilvie from Mid Ardross to Mabie, S(S), Research;
E. Waddelove from Clocaenog, N(W) to Gwydyr School, N(W);
S.J. Betterton from Northwood House (Educations to Blakeney Hill, Dean;
M.H. Colson from Halfway, S(W) to Brecon, S(W);
D.M. Kirk from Dalbeattie, S(S) to Lauriston, S(S);
J. Gray from Mabie to Tulliallan, W(S);
C.F. Russell from Dean School Beat to Highmeadow, Dean;
E. Leyshon from Wyre to Eggesford, SW(E);
D.C.B. McDowall from Dalby, NE(E) to York;
Clerk of Works E. Middleton from Brendon, SW(E) to Dymock.
Retired
Sir William Taylor CBE has retired. His letter, sent to the Director General, is reproduced in this edition.
Obituary
Mr Robert Bartlett, Foreman, of Mailscot, Highmeadow Woods, the Dean, has died aged 50. He had been a foreman since 1940 and had been with the department for 27 years.