Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 79 – July 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.
Birthday Honours - Awards for Chief Clerk and Head Forester
Mr E.J.S. Hinds, Chief Clerk in the Office of Director, England, received an O.B.E. He started his Civil Service career in 1913 when he became a Boy Clerk in the Office of Woods. He was on military service from 1916 to 1919, when, 'on loan' from the Office of Woods, he joined the Forestry Commission. He officially transferred to the Department in 1924 and the whole of his service has been divided between the offices of the Assistant Commissioner for England and Wales and the Director for England.
Head Forester A.E. Walker, of The Dean, received a B.E.M. He has been in The Dean throughout his forestry career, which began with the Office of Woods in 1906.
Another Forest Park Opened
The Queen Elizabeth National Forest Park, which covers more than 41,000 acres, of which about half will eventually be planted, was officially named last month. The Forest Park, which is the fourth to be formed in Scotland, centres on Aberfoyle, and extends from Loch Venachar and the headwaters of the Forth over the summit of Ben Lomond to the shores of Loch Lomond. Camping facilities are to be established as soon as possible.
The opening ceremony was performed by Mr James Stuart, Secretary of State for Scotland, viewed by about 100 people. Commission Chairman, Lord Radnor, said it was the settled policy of the Commissioners to establish National Forest Parks.
Major John Stirling of Fairburn, one of the Scottish Commissioners, proposed a vote of thanks to the Secretary of State and Lord Radnor. Among those representing the Commission were the Director General, Mr A.H. Gosling; Director, Scotland, Mr A.H.H. Ross; the Conservator for West Scotland, Mr J.E. James; Mr J.R. Thom; and Divisional Officer H.A. Maxwell. Also attending was Mr Alec Marshall from the Engineer Stores Section of the Glasgow Office, a former Pipe Major of the Highland Light Infantry, who played 'Land Under Trees' and 'Mist Over the Mountains'; and Head Forester D. Ross, of Achray, responsible for a lot of local organisation. Nearby, a plaque on a cairn records the naming of the Forest Park to commemorate the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
The Peebles March Riding - An Old Scottish Custom
A poster in an Edinburgh hotel advertised the advent of the Peebles March Riding and Beltane Queen Festival. A local Forestry Commission employee, David B. Wright, was chosen as this year's Peebles Cornet, one of the leading roles. According to the Secretary of the Festival, the history of the event dates back to the time when Peebles inspired King James, the poet King of Scotland, to write 'Peblis to the Play'. In those days the powerful Lairds of Upper Tweed frequently descended on Peebles on pilfering expeditions, so that it became the custom for the townsfolk each year to elect a Cornet, whose duty, with his followers, was to ride the Peebles boundaries and drive out any who had wrongly acquired land belonging to the Burgh. In the Middle Ages the rural sports on Beltane Day at Peebles were famous and large crowds of people flocked into the town each year; this was noted by the clergy, who started a religious revival to coincide with the Beltane Festival, so that soon people came to Peebles for a double purpose - as a religious pilgrimage and to witness the games.
The revival of the ancient custom of Riding the Marches took place in 1897 and the ceremony of crowning the Beltane Queen followed two years later. Nowadays the Festival opens with an open-air service in the grounds of the Old Cross Kirk and is attended by the Provost, magistrates, councillors and the Cornet and his Right and Left Hand Supporters, the Cornet-Elect and other principals, all of whom are counselled to carry out their duties in a worthy and proper manner. Early in the week there are children's races, and in mid-week comes the ceremonial part of the celebrations, for on the steps of the Old Parish Church the Cornet is installed, receiving his sash of office and the Burgh Standard, to be returned after 12 months 'unstained, untarnished and unsullied'. The Cornet's Lass also receives a sash and 'busses the Comet's colours' by pinning a ribbon on the standard. Then follows the Riding of the Marches, with all its ceremony, to be followed by the dancing in the High Street of the Cornet's Reel, to the music of a full pipe band. Later in the week are held the Beltane Concert, with the Cornet as Chairman, and the fancy dress parade, and then, on the Saturday, comes the big day for the Beltane Queen, who is crowned on the steps of the Old Parish Church and supported by several hundred schoolchildren. A parade follows and precedes the laying by the principals of wreaths on the local war memorial. In the afternoon there are professional sports.
When the Forester Training School was at Glentress, the students never failed to enter a very fine tableau in the parade, which will be missed now that the school has moved away to new premises at Faskally, Pitlochry.
News From Aberystwyth
The office team of the Directorate at Aberystwyth is hopeful of a successful cricket season. After an initial and narrow defeat by the University College staff, five games in a row were won; recently the position was that K. Roscoe, with an average of 71, had batted in all six games and been unbeaten four times. Bowling honours had been more evenly distributed, with J.S. Threadgill's devastating spell, in a league match against Y.M.C.A., being worthy of special mention. He bowled eight overs at a cost of 24 runs, but his figures for his last five overs were; maiden overs 3; runs 4; wickets 5.
The season's officials are: Chairman F.L.G. Edwards; Secretary K. Roscoe; and Treasurer D. Fisher. The new Director for Wales, Mr G.B. Ryle, was recently welcomed by the office staff at an afternoon tea, organised by the ladies' section of the office Entertainment Committee. Mr Ryle was introduced by Mr E.R. Lewis, the Chief Clerk.
The Christmas Tree in June
Our staff in Carlisle were puzzled the other day when they received an urgent request for the supply of a Christmas tree. True, the weather was not all that might be desired, but it was far from wintry. However, the mystery was soon solved - the tree was wanted as a 'prop' in the play 'The Man Who Came to Dinner', which was being staged locally, and in which the second act takes place on Christmas Day. Incidentally, the distinction of supplying the tree went to Inglewood Forest.
Golf in Scotland
The annual outing of the Scottish Directorate Office Golf Club was held at Aberdour last month. A handicap competition took place, the best nett score being a 67 by J.W. Caie. The following week a match was played against the East Conservancy Office staff at Alyth, Perthshire.
All Commission staff are eligible to compete in the Club's annual autumn competition for the Fotheringham Cup. The competition, this year, is being held at the Kilspindie course, Aberlady, East Lothian, on Monday, 27th September.
Something About Seaweed
Fifteen members of the Directorate staff spent an evening inspecting the laboratories and workshop of the Institute of Seaweed Research at Inveresk, near Edinburgh. They were shown the 'barges' used in cutting and gathering the seaweed from the seabed (a process which is still largely experimental) and the processes the harvested 'crop' go through in order that valuable products may be extracted. "Most of us," writes our correspondent, "realised that iodine came from seaweed and that the latter makes an excellent fertiliser, but it was an eye opener to see seaweed sausage-skins and cocktail cherries made entirely from sea weed, and to encounter sweets, cattle foods, pudding mixtures and many other useful commodities in the manufacture of which seaweed plays a part".
A Letter From Wendy - Old Oaks in The Dean
A delightful letter was received by Mr R.G. Sanzen-Baker, Deputy Surveyor, The Dean. This, and his reply, are given herewith and tell their own interesting little story.
Plump Hill School, Mitcheldean, Glos.
Dear Sir,
Please could you tell us the ages of the oldest oak trees in the Forest of Dean? We had to write an essay on trees in our district, and one girl asked this question. We are very keen on Nature Study. We have a guinea pig, a tame wild rabbit, and two dormice brought by Graham Trigg.
I must close now because of dinner.
Yours sincerely,
Wendy Barrington
Dear Wendy,
Thank you very much for your letter asking me about the ages of the oldest oak trees in the Forest of Dean. As far as we know these are about 275 years old and were planted about 1680 by order of King Charles II. At that time the King was very worried because he could not find enough oak timber to build his ships for the Royal Navy, so he decided to plant thousands of oak seedlings. Most of the big old oak trees about the Forest date from that time.
There are probably some older oak trees in the Highmeadow Woods, around about 300 years old. But the oldest oak tree of all in the neighbourhood is the "Newland Oak". This tree is completely hollow and only just alive. It is said to be the same tree as one mentioned in the Domesday Book, but I do not think it can be so old as that. Since we cannot count the annual rings, we shall never know the answer, but I should say it is 700 to 800 years old. It is 45 feet in circumference.
I am glad that you are keen on nature study and have lots of pets, it is great fun.
Yours sincerely,
R.G. Sanzen-Baker
Keeping of Tropical Fish - Some More Hints For Beginners
Following on from his article last month, Mr L. Fagg of Headquarters, gives further advice on keeping tropical fish.
I undertook to devote some notes to the method of heating the tank, and to the establishment of suitable water plants.
There are several methods of heating the water of a miniature aquarium, but by far the most trouble-free is the use of electricity, and a thermostatically controlled, 75 watt immersion heater can be obtained at a cost of between 15s. and £1. This, it will be found, will maintain the water in a 24 ins. x 12 ins. x 12 ins. tank at the right temperature (75-77 degrees) all the year round. It is assumed that the reader would normally wish to keep the tank in a reasonably warm room, otherwise a heater of higher wattage would be necessary. The weekly cost of heating a tank of the aforementioned size would be sixpence or so, according to local electricity charges. To keep a check on the temperature of the water, it is absolutely essential to acquire a floating thermometer, which can be obtained for 5s. - 7s. 6d.
A further tip of a general character is that the top of the aquarium should be covered with stout, clear glass; this will obviously lessen evaporation and check any dissipation of heat and has the further virtue that it will prevent any fish from committing suicide by leaping out of the water on to the floor. This covering glass should not be too close fitting, of course, or air will be prevented from entering the tank.
As soon as the position of the aquarium has been decided upon and the heating is ready for operation, the bottom of the tank should be prepared for plant life. It will be found that the plants thrive best in coarse, washed sand and fine washed gravel; the former should be placed in the tank to a depth of about 2½ to 3 inches at the rear, sloping down to half an inch at the front; the whole should then be lightly covered with gravel. Pieces of rock, natural or coloured (which can be bought quite cheaply) should then be distributed on the 'floor'; the tank is then ready for planting.
In the choice of plants, first consideration should be given to those that produce the most oxygen, and the following are recommended: -
Vallisneria spiralis, commonly known as Italian water weed, or tape grass. This has narrow, ribbon-like leaves, coloured bright green. The crown of the plant should not be pushed below the surface of the sand. The plant multiplies quickly by throwing out strawberry-like runners, each of which in turn produces a small plant. These may be detached and planted elsewhere.
Sagittaria natans, another grass-like plant, from North America. It tends to grow 'fountain-style', that is with the long leaves falling outwards and downwards in a graceful curve.
Elodea densa, a fast-growing plant with a much-branching stem thickly clothed with whorls of narrow, grass-like foliage. Pieces of the stem, pushed into the sand, will quickly take root. A native of the Argentine.
Three or four shillings-worth of these plants will be ample to stock a tank of the aforementioned size.
Newcomers
Higher Executive Officer A.G. Burnett to D(S);
Clerical Officer Miss A.A. Tailor to N(S);
Clerical Officer A. Macleod to N(S);
Clerical Officer Miss C.M. Davies to NW(E);
Clerical Officer B. Hopkins to Research;
Paperkeeper A.S. Bayley to S(W).
Transfers
District Officer O.D. Begley from Carlisle, NW(E) to D(R&E), London;
Forester E.J. Tucker from Sherwood, NW(E) to Kinver, NW(E);
Forester J.H. Royle from Gwydyr, N(W) to Cynwyd, N(W);
Forester R.H. Roberts from Cynwyd N(W) to Gwydyr N(W);
Forester P. Butterworth from Hafren, N(W) to Radnor, N(W);
Foreman A.A. Smith-Jones from Dovey, N(W) to Commins Coch, N(W);
Foreman D.J. Morris from Hafren N(W) to Brynmawr, N(W);
Foreman H. Mackay from Glengarry, N(S) to Dunnet, N(S);
Foreman E.C.C. Gardner from Dovey N(W) to Coed-y-Brenin, N(W);
Accountant K.J. Wharton from Bristol to Headquarters;
Shorthand Typist Miss V.A.D. Archibald from Aberdeen to H.Q.;
Clerk of Works J.A. Cowie from Glenurquhart, N(S) to South Strome, N(S).
Engagements
Miss Pamela Dunn, C.O. at Shrewsbury has become engaged to Mr John Tarrant, E.O. at Cardiff.
Mr M. Gubby, E.O., H.Q. Audit Section, has become engaged to Miss R. Jones, Shorthand Typist, Aberystwyth office.
Miss M.P. Jones, C.O., Aberystwyth, has become engaged to Mr A.H. Jones, of Llanbedrog.
Marriage
For his marriage, District Officer M.R.W. Williams, Edinburgh, was presented with a tea trolley by Director for Scotland, Mr A.H.H. Ross, on behalf of his colleagues.
Births
The birth of a son to District Officer B. Grabaskey, Aberystwyth, and Mrs Grabaskey.
The birth of a son to Messenger J. Raftree, Aberystwyth, and Mrs Raftree.
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