Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 31 - July 1950
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.
Grants For Planting Poplars
The department is offering grants to encourage the planting of poplars for timber production purposes. Poplar is required in large quantities for the match-making industry, and at the present time much of this kind of timber is imported. The Commission is anxious to do what it can to reverse the order, so that the needs of the industry are met from home timber production, and there is a reduction in the amount of money spent overseas. Grants are offered for the Poplars to be grown in compact blocks, lines or avenues. There are a great number of streams, rivers, roads and lanes which would be beautified if flanked by Poplars.
Timber From Tintern - Used to Construct The Speaker’s Table
When the new Chamber of the House of Commons is completed and opened for parliamentary business, the people of South Wales will be able to reflect with pride that timber forming part of the Speaker's table was grown in Monmouthshire and prepared by Monmouthshire men at the Commission's sawmill at Tintern.
During the last war part of the Houses of Parliament was damaged by enemy action, and reconstruction is now taking place. One of the articles of furniture required is a new table for the Speaker, and the contractors concerned asked if the Department could assist by providing some suitable oak. Conservator South Wales, forwarded the request to Tintern Forest, and there Forester A. Jones found some satisfactory timber which was subsequently sawn into planks at the Tintern mill. A letter has now been received from the contractors in which tribute is paid to the quality of the timber and to the Department for its co-operation.
Chief Research Officer: Leaving for Persia
Mr M.V. Laurie, Chief Research Officer, will shortly be leaving the Department, having been seconded to the Government of Persia for two years. Mr J.A.B. MacDonald, Silviculturist, North, Edinburgh, will act on behalf of Mr Laurie during his absence.
Library Fittings at Alice Holt
It is hoped to equip the Forest Research Station at Alice Holt with shelving and fittings made of oak from the nearby forest. There has been some felling of mature trees there of late, providing a stock of about 1,000 feet of 10-inch boarding; more will be required.
Educating Office Staff and a Visit to Sawmills
The series of lectures to the office staff of the West Conservancy, Scotland, has concluded with the following: Establishment Work, by A. Liddell; The role of the Conservancy Labour Officer, by J.P. Williamson; and The Supply Function by W. Stewart. In addition to the lectures, a visit was made to the sawmills of Messrs A. and G. Paterson in Glasgow. The firm is long-established, having been founded in Lanark in 1824, and in addition to those at Glasgow, has mills at Banchory and Aberdeen.
The Fox and the Moles - A Collingbourne Incident
Following the tale of mole-catching by his Labrador, Forester R.B. Hammond, of Collingbourne, South West England, relates an incident of a fox catching moles.
Making a Case For Headquarters - A Story of Two Dogs
Recently a correspondent asked what happens to the 'cases' which are made from time to time to send to Headquarters, and suggested there must be a large accumulation hidden away somewhere.
We have heard from a Field Officer who had difficulty in the past in making cases for Headquarters. His worst case, it is alleged, was when he had to make a case to despatch to Headquarters to justify having bought a dog with short legs. The animal was wanted because, being small in stature, it was able to get into the rabbit holes. But the Officer could not send a case to Headquarters because the dog had to have somewhere to live, and he needed the case in order to make him a kennel.
The Officer's troubles increased when, after purchasing a dog with long legs, he was again requested to make a case; but this dog, too, needed somewhere to lay his head at night and so this case was also put to another use. He was asked why it was necessary to purchase two dogs, and there seemed some surprise at the perfectly logical explanation that the legs of the dog with short legs were too short to enable him to chase and catch the rabbits after he had driven them out of the holes, and so it was necessary to obtain another dog with long legs.
Headquarters' case was that there should have been a compromise, with a saving of expense. The Officer might have been forgiven had he taken this to mean that he should have purchased a dog with two short legs and two long legs, which would at least have enabled it to travel more easily uphill, either frontways or sideways as the case might be, depending upon whether the short legs were at the front or side.
However, all ended happily, for one of the dogs had pups and the income from the sale thereof more than covered the cost of the two dogs, and Headquarters decided to drop the case.
The Best Ever Football Team? A Conservancy Looks Back
The sporting rivalry between the office staff of West Conservancy, Scotland, and Forest Workers at Aberfoyle continues. Recently another football match was played, this being lost by the Office staff by the odd goal. A return match is to be played in Glasgow.
Meanwhile, the office team, played a match against the office staff of Shell-Mex, Ltd. in whose building at Glasgow the Conservancy Offices are housed.
A claim has been made that the best team ever raised in the Forester Training Schools at Beauly and Benmore was that formed by the 1928-29 class at Benmore. This comprised D. Ross, J. Russell, B. Crowley, L. MacKenzie, J. Harkness, W.H. MacKay, J. Montgomery, J. Reid, J. McSorley and R. Edwards. This team carried off the Dhalling More Trophy and the McAllister Cup, and tied for the Esson League (Dunoon) championship.
A correspondent, looking back over the years, has chosen from the names of the various students who passed through the Schools, what he considers would have been an unbeatable team. Here it is: D. Ross, J. Russell, B. Crowley, J. Chrystall, A. Ross, D. McCallum, J. Harkness, J. Fraser, J. Reid, W.A. Fraser and R. Edwards. Unfortunately, W.A. Fraser is dead, J. Fraser is in Nigeria, while D. Ross, J. Chrystall, A. Ross and D. McCallum are still in the West Conservancy, Scotland.
The Complete Countryman
A challenge from Forester W. Deal of Thetford:
My name is DEAL. My mother's maiden name was BOXall, The family home is OAKley House. My wife's maiden name was BRANCH, and she is related to a BIRD. At one time I lived in HEDGEmans Road, went to school in OAKlands Avenue, and met my wife in IVYhouse Road.
Forestry on the Air
The Commission's operations and special local features will be described, and a number of the Department's employees will be heard talking about their particular jobs. The commentaries will be by Ralph Whitlock, a well-known writer on agricultural and other rural subjects.
9th July - Thetford, E(E); 16th July - New; 23rd July - Kielder; 30th July - Rheola; 6th August - Thornthwaite and/or Grizedale.
Mr F.W. Hamilton
For all of the good wishes received, a message of thanks from former Secretary Mr F.W. Hamilton, who retired from the office of Secretary to the Commission at the end of last month.
Lord Robinson
Lord Robinson is still not fully recovered from the effects of his recent fall in Glentress Forest and has been unable to attend meetings of the Forestry Commissioners.
Transfers
F.E. de Uphaugh, Divisional Officer, Office of Director, England, transferred to New;
J.S.R. Chard, Divisional Officer, Research, Alice Holt, transferred to Chester, NW(E);
J.T. Anderson, Forester, Smales (Kielder), NE(E), transferred to Thetford, E(E);
W.H. Mackay, Forester, Dundeugh, S(S), transferred to Glentress, S(S);
W. Deal, Forester, Holmsley, New, transferred to Thetford, E(E);
H. Johnson, Forester, Thetford, E(E), transferred to Wendover, E(E);
S. Davies, Forester, Santon Downham, E(E), transferred to West Tofts, E(E);
L.H. Coles, Forester, Blandford, SW(E), transferred to Poorstock, SW(E);
F.A. Slatter, Forester, Tair Onen, S(W), transferred to Slebach, S(W);
A.R. Mair, Forester, Newton (Research), transferred to Tulliallan (Research);
M.R. Chisholm, Forester, Clauchrie, S(S), transferred to Carrick, S(S);
J. Melville, Forester, Glentress, S(S), transferred to Clauchrie S(S);
G.S. Forbes, Forester, Clashindarroch, (Research), transferred to Kielder (Research);
G.I. Rudge, Forester, Coed-y-Rhaiadr, S(W), transferred to Brechfa, S(W);
J.S. Craig, Forester, Ae, S(S), transferred to Dundeugh, S(S);
C.N. Simpson, Forester, Chirdon, (Kielder), transferred to Smales, NE(E);
R.I. Roberts, Foreman, Clocaenog, N(W), transferred to Gwydyr, N(W);
J.N. Judge, Foreman, Machynlleth, N(W), transferred to New;
W.A. Lockhart, Foreman, North Strome, N(S), transferred to Glenhurich, N(S);
D.D. Henry, Foreman, Inverliever, W(S), transferred to Loch Ard, W(S);
A.V. Reece, Foreman, Shave Green, New, transferred to Burley, New;
J.F.B Wood, Foreman, Ringwood, New, transferred to Stockley, New;
J. Gray, Foreman, Tulliallan, (Research), transferred to Newton, (Research);
R. Moffat, Foreman, Fort William, (Research), transferred to Bin, (Research), E(S);
E.C.G. Gardner, Foreman, Lodge Hill, New, transferred to Machynlleth;
I.D. Atkinson, Foreman, Blengdale, NW(E), transferred to Thornthwaite, NW(E);
A.A. Cowan, E.O., Glasgow, transferred to Aberdeen, (on promotion);
C. Forbes, Clerk Of Works, Clashindarroch, transferred to Bin.
Appointments
D.D. Moir, District Officer NW(E);
D.C. Bayliss, Surveyor, Office Of Director, Wales;
E.J. Toy, Director, Wales;
L.W. Low, Assistant Engineer, N(W);
A.C.S. Mattock, Executive Officer, HQ.;
G.J. Hill, Executive Officer, SE(E);
W.O. Wittering, Executive Officer, Research;
S. Ainsworth, Executive Officer, NW(E),
M.J. Wilkinson, Clerical Officer, HQ.;
J.M. Cate, Clerical Officer, Office of Director, England;
M.S. Scott, Clerical Officer, SW(E);
M.R. O’Connell, Clerical Officer, Office of Director, England;
Miss P. Tingley, Clerical Officer, Office of Director, England;
N.C. Gordon, Clerical Officer, SE(E), after returning from the Forces.
Left
H. Walcot, District Officer, N(W);
J.B. Hendry, Forester, E(S);
D.M. Thomson, Foreman, S(S);
W.W. Morrison, Foreman, N(S);
Miss J.A. McMahon, E.O., SE(E).
Retired
Forester George Woodward of Bickley, Allerston, NE(E), has retired after 27 years service with the Commission. He joined as a Forest Worker in 1923 and was promoted to a Ganger and the Foreman four years later. He was promoted to a Forester in 1937.
Obituary
Miss B.G. Arnold, telephonist in the Welsh Directorate Office at Aberystwyth since 1947, died suddenly last month.