Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 78 – June 1954
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.
Retirement of Mr A.P. Long - Presentations in London and Wales
Chairman, Lord Radnor has paid tribute to Mr A.P. Long during a retirement presentation at Headquarters. A more detailed reference to Mr Long's career was made in an earlier issue of The Slasher and further details are in the Retirement section of this edition.
The Annual Report - More Planting Than Ever Before
The Annual Report for the Forest Year 1953 was published this month and, once again, records progress.
The area planted was 67,610 acres, exceeding that of any previous year in the history of the Department, and was almost 6,000 acres more than in F.Y.52. More than 104 million trees were used to form the new plantations, and 14 million in replacing failures in recently planted areas.
In order to carry out the expanding programme of planting within the funds available, it was necessary to postpone some of the tasks that should go with planting and thinning. For instance, fewer houses were completed than in the previous year and the placing of contracts for new houses was again restricted. The Commissioners again sound a warning note where the acquisition of land is concerned. The net additions in the past two years were substantially less than the areas planted; in F.Y.52 they were less by 8,000 acres and in the year under review by 14,000 acres. "Clearly," it is recorded, "unless this trend is reversed the Commissioners' plans for a steady increase in the planting programme will not succeed."
There is encouraging news of private forestry in the Report - some 226,000 acres on a total of 479 estates had been dedicated by the end of the year and plans of operations covering a further 140,000 acres had been approved. It is estimated that private planting in the year amounted to about 18,000 acres, an increase of 3,000 acres compared with the previous year. As felling licenses with an obligation to replant were issued during the year in respect of almost 24,000 acres, it is a fair assumption that within the next few years the annual rate of private planting may have risen above the rate of 25,000 acres given as the objective for the latter part of the first post-war decade.
The Prayer of The Tree
A poem previously reproduced, is best described as being the tree's prayer to the wayfarer. Here is a slightly different version.
You who pass by and would raise your hand against me, hearken ere you harm me.
I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter night, the friendly shade screening you from summer sun,
And my fruits are refreshing draughts quenching your thirst as you journey on.
I am the beam that holds your house, the board of your table, the bed on which you lie,
the timber that builds your boat.
I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your homestead, the wood of your cradle,
the shell of your coffin.
I am the gift of God and the friend of man.
You who pass by, listen to my prayer, HARM ME NOT.
This year's travelling agricultural show exhibit is based on this poem.
May Day At Kielder
May Day celebrations were held last month for the first time in Kielder forest village, in Northumberland, which takes its name from our biggest unit. Miss Anne Riddell was crowned as the May Queen. The programme was organised by the Kielder Archers Youth Club and, in addition to the crowning ceremony, included maypole and country dancing and sports and the making of a rope bridge by the 1st Kielder Scout Troop.
The Keeping of Tropical Fish - Hints For The Beginner
Mr L. Fagg, who is in charge of the Registry at Headquarters, is an enthusiastic keeper of tropical fish. He has offered to provide a few notes in serial form to aid the beginner. Here is his advice.
As most people are aware, the majority of tropical fish (as other fish) require a constant supply of oxygen; they extract the oxygen from the water as it passes through their gills, and exhale carbonic acid gas. Conversely, submerged water plants utilise carbonic acid gas to build up their tissues and maintain growth, and give off oxygen in exchange. It will be realised, therefore, that although the chief source of oxygen in water is derived from the contacting air, an important preliminary job is the 'setting up' of the tank, or the introduction of the plants before the stocking with fish takes place.
It must be pointed out that submerged plants will not do their job properly unless they have sufficient light to stimulate their growth, and thought should be given to the setting of the tank; if it cannot be positioned near a window, then it should be fitted with artificial lighting and be illuminated for several hours a day.
The beginner might well commence with a tank 24 ins. x 12 ins. x 12 ins., which will house up to 40 small fish. Where feeding is concerned we cannot do better than quote an American authority - William T. Innes - who says that prepared food should be supplied at one time in such quantity that all is consumed within five minutes.
Other points to remember as prerequisites to maintaining healthy and virile stock is that dead and decaying vegetation should be removed from the tank as soon as noticed, and that some of the sediment from the bottom of the tank should be syphoned off at intervals; fresh water, warmed to the same temperature as the tank (about 75 degrees) should then be added.
Next month I propose to recommend species of plants and methods of establishing them in the tank; and the provision of heating equipment.
Forest Fire Precautions
Members of the public who visit or travel near our plantations in periods of high fire risk don’t know how fortunate they are. If they visited forest areas in Canada they would have to observe stringent conditions which are likely to be even more severe in the not too distant future.
A cutting from the 'Vancouver Province' tells the story: "New legislation adopted by the Legislative Assembly bans smoking while travelling in cars as well as on foot or on horseback on Crown lands, leased timber limits or private lands of 2,000 acres or more. Anyone caught smoking while travelling is liable to lose his forest travel permit for a year. A forest worker guilty of a similar infraction loses his job for a year." The legislation must now go before the Legislative Council and receive Royal Assent before becoming law.
100 Years of Scottish Forestry - The Royal Society Celebrates
More than 150 foresters gathered at Pitlochry last month for the Centenary Excursion of the Royal Scottish Forestry Society. Each day the party was split into two groups, to visit separate forests or estate woodlands.
A group of early risers boarded buses and had breakfast on the shores of Loch Rannoch. A train journey to Corrour on the West Highland Railway followed, and a visit to the Loch Ossian plantations. Sir John Stirling Maxwell, one of the founder members of the Forestry Commission, and its Chairman from 1930 to 1932, was the host.
The later risers went to the Black Wood of Rannoch, a fragment of the ancient Caledonian pine forest, and then to Drummond Hill, under the leadership of District Officers R.R. D'O. P. Jackson, Athole Whayman, and Robert Shaw.
On the following day the long-distance party made the trip over the Pass of Drumochter to Inshriach Forest in the North Conservancy, where they were welcomed by Conservator James Fraser and District Officer A.M. Fraser, and shown examples of forest ploughing, stream training, and plantations of Scots pine. Later they visited the Queen's Forest in the Glen More National Forest Park, where M.V. Edwards of the Research Branch discussed the difficulties of natural regeneration in old pine woods.
The second party visited the Blair Atholl estate woodlands, famous for their hybrid larch.
On the third day, one party went to Glamis Castle, where the Earl of Strathmore and his staff showed them over the woodlands, which have, unfortunately, suffered sadly from the disastrous windblow of January 1953. Then on to Rossie Priory, near Dundee, where the Master of Kinnaird led the party through flourishing natural regeneration of ash and sycamore.
The second party visited Glendelvine and Murthly Estates, both in the Tay valley near Dunkeld, and then went on to Ledmore Nursery, where District Officer H.V.S. Dier and Forester A. Rose displayed modern methods of mechanising nursery work.
On the fourth day all the excursionists joined with other members of the Society in visits to Dunkeld Estate and Craig Vinean Forest, followed by a meeting in the open air beside Dunkeld House Hotel. There, in perfect weather, and an ideal setting amid the wooded hills, old friendships were renewed, while the pipe band of the Second Battalion of the Black Watch lent colour and music to the scene.
Among those attending the excursion were Deputy Director General Sir Henry Beresford-Peirse, the Director for Scotland, Mr A.H.H. Ross, five Scottish Conservators, and a large number of other technical officers and foresters. Mr A.D. Hopkinson and Frank Scott were among the retired members of staff who were present.
R. & E. Directorate in The Forest
Members of the staff of Director, Research and Education, had an instructional visit to the Epsom sawmill of Mr Stanley Longhurst, one of the Forestry Commissioners, and then on to Bedgebury Forest, in the Weald of Kent to visit the famous Pinetum and a number of forest plots. They were accompanied by the Director Mr James MacDonald and Forester A.W. Westall helped conduct the party.
The Box Hill Memorial
More information about the odd memorial on the top of Box Hill, Surrey, referred to in last month's edition, is available from the Chief Librarian of Guildford, who writes; "The memorial is to Major Peter Labelliere, an ex-officer of Marines. According to his own wish he was buried on the north-west brow of the hill, with his head downwards, since in his opinion the world was turned 'topsy-turvy' and he hoped thus to be 'right at last'. There is a reference also that his mind had become unsettled in consequence of an 'unrequited attachment'. It is not known whether the monument marks the site of the actual grave, and it is even said the body was removed a few years after the burial and interred elsewhere."
Newcomers
District Officer I.W. Varty to S(S);
Clerk of Works H.L.D. Miller to S(W);
Assistant Engineer J. Martin to S(W);
Executive Officer D.O.J. Salaman to Headquarters;
Executive Officer Mrs M.D. Godfrey to Headquarters;
Clerical Officer H.T. Wheeler to New Forest;
Clerical Officer I.E. Walker to D(S);
Clerical Officer Mrs L.E. Pearson to NE(E);
Clerical Officer N. Harrison to Headquarters;
Draughtswoman Miss N.P.L. Whitehouse to NW(E).
Transfers
Divisional Officer J.B. Stocks from Bristol to D(E);
District Officer D.F.C. Forbes from Palnure, S(S) to Kilgrammie, S(S);
District Officer A.J. Grayson from Bellingham, NE(E) to Rothbury, NE(E);
District Officer T.C. Mitchell from Widehaugh, NE(E) to Carlisle, NW(E);.
Forester N.E. McIntyre from Wyre, SW(E) to Bentley, SE(E);
Forester D.L. Shaw from Aberhirnant, N(W) to Coed-y-Brenin, N(W);
Forester A. Powell from Gwydyr, N(W) to Brechfa, S(W);
Forester O.D. Hollington from Coed-y-Brenin to Crychan, S(W);
Foreman T.A. Carter from Kerry, N(W) to Dovey, N(W);
Foreman C.R. Ambler from Aberhirnant to Coed-y-Brenin;
Foreman F.W. Lane from Carno, N(W) to Bechan, N(W);
Executive Officer Miss M.A.E. Frost from Headquarters to Education;
Executive Officer Miss J.G. Rowe from Aberdeen to D(S);
Clerical Officer D. MacPhail from Blair Atholl to Glasgow.
Marriage
Miss Sheila Gough, Cartographical Draughtswoman in the Cardiff office, has married Mr Paul Bjorklund.
Births
The birth of a daughter to Forester W.G. Williams, Taliesin Forest, North Wales, and Mrs Williams.
The birth of a daughter to Mr S.A. Simmonds, Land Agent, New Forest, and Mrs Simmonds.
The birth of a daughter to Clerical Officer K. Hughes, Cardiff office, and Mrs Hughes.
The birth of a son to Mr J.G. Barnes, Clerical Officer, New Forest, and Mrs Barnes.
Retired
Mr A.P. Long, Director of Forestry for Wales since 1946 has retired. He has served the Department since its inception and has a long record of forestry having taken his diploma in 1912 and his diploma in agriculture a year earlier.
Among other retirement gifts, Mr and Mrs Long were presented with a handfork and trowel at Cardiff, intended as companion tools to the planting spade presented recently by the North Conservancy staff. The spade was put to good use at Haford Forest by Mr Long when he and Mrs Long and others recently planted beech trees there. It was pointed out by the Conservator for North Wales, Mr F.C. Best, that the resultant small grove was on the site of the garden of the famous Johnes Estate, which in the 18th century was the scene of a very large forestry enterprise.
Obituaries
Mr W. Forgan, Head Forester at Denny Lodge, in the New Forest, until his retirement in 1939, has died.
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