356
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
although there was now a talk of planting up some of those Welsh State lands..
From the above sketch it was easy to see why we had such a limited area of
Crown woodland as compared with our neighbours.
Long before the final rescue of Epping Forest by the Corporation of London,
Hainhault had been completely disafforested, its oaks and other trees uprooted,
and its lands converted into farms, except some small areas of hornbeam and
thorn-scrub, containing a few oak and ash trees. It was said that the dis-
afforestment of Hainhault Forest was due to the initiative of the Prince Consort,
who found in its rich clay lands the only site in the Crown property suitable for
the establishment of farms on the German method of agriculture, in which he was
interested. There could be little doubt that our Crown forests still remaining
owed their maintenance largely to the fact that they were chiefly situated on
lands too poor for agriculture, or too poor to have been coveted by courtiers. The
prosperity of these Crown farms resulting from the uprooting of the fine old oak
trees had been of short duration. The revenue of £4,000 a year, from which so
much was hoped, soon fell with the price of wheat, and the £40,000 from the
sale of the oak trees in 1852 would have probably accumulated to at least £100,000
by this time had the oaks been allowed to stand. The heavy London clay, which
had produced fine oaks, soon ceased to be valuable for wheat growing, and now
by the liberality of private persons, assisted by the London County Council, some
of the land had been re-acquired for the public, and was under public control.
All must rejoice that Mr. E. N. Buxton, who had done so much for other
open spaces, was also the prime mover in the rescue and reafforestation of
Hainhault Forest.
Prof. Fisher was greatly applauded for his interesting address, and the
meeting broke up. The party spent some time in examining the replanted lands,,
and then walked back to the Grange Hill Station
MEETING ON THE RIVER LEA : VOYAGE FROM
HERTFORD TO ENFIELD LOCK.
Wednesday, June 29th, 1904.
On four previous occasions the members had taken part in voyages on board
the steam barge "Salisbury," kindly lent by the Board of the Lee Conservancy,
but it was felt that days in the open so pleasant and interesting were good
omens and encouragement for attempting yet another voyage on the Lea. A
tone of sadness pervaded the meeting in the absence of our kind and genial
friend, the late Major Lamorock Flower, who had so well organised the previous
voyages. Beyond the sense of personal loss we all missed the Major's racy and
enthusiastic demonstrations at the points of interest and beauty presented by his
favourite stream.
It is needless to repeat the descriptions already published of the scenery and
history of the Lea. All accessible information will be found in former reports
in the Essex Naturalist.1 The party assembled at Hertford at about
11 o'clock, and soon afterwards embarked on board the "Salisbury," which had
been fitted up with cabin and deck for the official visit of the Board, and Mr.
Corble, the Clerk, most kindly continued all arrangements for the Club's benefit
on this occasion. The voyage down the river was at once entered upon, the
1 See report of former meeting on June 15th, 1899, in E.N., vol. xi., p. 130.