THE MANAGEMENT OF EPPING FOREST.
53
ing meeting could have been little less than 150. Most of the important London
and local newspapers were also represented, and some excellent reports have
since appeared. Numerous conveyances and private carriages were provided at
Theydon, so as to enable the company to travel comfortably from point to point.
The conductors were :—Sir T. Fowell Buxton (Verderer), Mr. E. N. Buxton
(Vice-President and Verderer), Prof. R.Meldola (Vice-President), Prof. C. Stewart
(President of the Linnean Society and Hon. Member of the Club), and the Hon.
Secretaries, Messrs. William and Benjamin G. Cole. Mr. Angus D. Webster
(Manager of Woods to the Duke of Bedford) was present as an expert in Forestry, as
was also Mr. F. McKenzie (Superintendent of Epping Forest), and Prof. W. R.
Fisher, of Cooper's Hill College.
The two other verderers, Mr. P. Gellatly and Mr. R. Ellis, were present, and
the Epping Forest Committee of the Corporation was officially represented by
Mr. J. Salmon (Chairman), and Deputies W. T. Brown and T. Greenwood, with
others.
Among the members and friends who attended the inspection of the woods
were the following, and they were received at Theydon by Mr. F. Chancellor
(President), who was accompanied by Miss L. Chancellor, and the Hon. Secre-
taries and Treasurer, Mr. A. Lockyer :—Miss Abraham, Miss Allen, Right. Hon.
J. Bryce, M.P. (Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster), Prof. Boulger (Vice-President),
Mr. J. Barrett, C.C, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Buxton, Mr. Noel and Miss Buxton,
Misses M. and C. Buxton, Misses F. and J. Cole, Mr. H. A. Cole, Mr. R. W. Christy,
Dr. W. T. Church, Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Corcoran and Miss Corcoran, Mr. Walter
Crouch (Vice-President), Mr. A. Double, C.C., and Mr. G. A. Double, Mr. O. Deacon,
C.C, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Elliott, Mr. and Mrs. Finzi, Mrs. Ferry, Mr. J. C. Float,
Miss Gibbs, Mr. and Mrs. F. Carruthers Gould, Mr. Bernard Gibson, Dr. Frances
Gray, Rev. W. C. Howell, Mr. J. Hilliar, Mr. and Mrs. David Howard, Mr. T. V.
Holmes (Vice-President) and Mrs. Holmes, Mr. W. D. Holmes and Miss Holmes,
Mr. A. B. Hoskings, Mr. S. Johnson and Miss Johnson, Mr. Andrew Johnston
(Chairman, Essex County Council), Mr. E. Johnston, Rev. T. B. Johnston, Mr. A.
Lister, J.P., and Miss Lister, Sir John Lubbock, M.P., and Lady Lubbock, Mr. H.
G. Morris, Mr. F. H. Meggy, Mr. J. Mark, Mr. C Oldham, Rev. L. N. Prance,
Mr. G. T. Reid, Sir C. C. Smith, Mr. H. C. Snell, Messrs. R. J. and R. A. C.
Sheldon, Mr. H. H. Savage, Mr. and Mrs. Sworder, Mr. John Spiller, Mr. F. W.
Spiller and Mr. Spiller, Mr. T. Thompson, Rev. W. L. and Mrs. Wilson, Mr. T
Wilson, Mr. H. Wilson (Hon. Sec. Malvern Field Club), Mr. T. Hay Wilson, Mr.
J. Wheatley, Mr. P. W. Wilson, Sir F. Young (Chairman, Forest Fund Committee),
and very many others, who were either unknown to the secretaries or who did
not enter their names in the signature book,
The first stopping-place was on the right-hand side of the road from Theydon
to the "Wake Arms," just opposite Oak Hill (a beautiful tract of twelve and a half
acres, restored to the Forest in 1889 by the munificence of Sir Fowell and Mr. E.
N. Buxton. See Essex Nat., vol. iii., pp. 57-60). Here a short walk was taken
into the wood ("Theydon Thickets") where Mr. Buxton called attention to the
difference between the condition of the woods on either side of a narrow path-
way. On the right hand was a small tract of unthinned coppice, with the trees
drawn straight up and branchless owing to overcrowding, and the herbage and
undergrowth either dying or dead. On the left, where thinning operations had
been carried out, was a beautiful woodland, the trees vigorously throwing out
lateral branches, and a fine undergrowth springing up in all directions. Mr.
Buxton said that he did not propose to do more than draw attention to the two
systems—the visitors could judge for themselves which was the more judicious.
Seats being again taken, the route ran by Jack's Hill, where on the right
could be seen the effects of the disastrous fires of a few years back. But happily