THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.—REPORTS OF MEETINGS. 159
ANNUAL INSPECTION OF HAINHAULT FOREST AND
240th ORDINARY MEETING.
Saturday, July 22ND, 1905.
On this afternoon the fourth annual meeting of inspection of the newly-
recovered lands of Hainhault Forest was held, the object being to watch the
gradual upgrowth of the projected woodlands. Mr. E. N. Buxton was
announced as leader, but was unfortunately prevented from attending by the
illness of a near relative. Mr. Francis Dent very kindly undertook to fill his
place, and Mr. Alfred Buxton was also present.
The party was a large one, and much interest was manifested in the work or
reclamation. The party walked up from the Grange Hill station to Chigwell
Row, crossing the Recreation Grounds and entering the woods at the part known
as "Ethelstone's Forest." Then a ramble was taken through the older
woodlands, viewing the new or newly cleared rides, and improvements made in
removing the old and diseased undergrowth, etc. At the gate near
Cabin Plain the recovered lands were entered, and Mr. Dent gave a series of
peripatetic demonstrations on the work now being carried out in laying down
grass so as to obtain a good surface for future planting. The first part of the
area visited showed a capital growth of gorse and heather; the seedlings,
however, had only thriven where protected by scrub from the cattle put on by
commoners in (he exercise of their rights. On the way up to Cabin Hill, on the
Lambourn side, several old enclosures were met with. These had been illegally
cleared in the old days, and were now restored to the forest. Up to this point,
on the top of the hill, all that had been done was the removal of some of the
inferior pollards, and the opening up of some glades. From this spot there is a
good view over the Dog Kennel Hill, where the problem of converting arable
into forest land is being dealt with.
Tea was taken in the great barn at Foxborough Farm, and afterwards an
Ordinary Meeting (the 240th) was held, the President, Mr. Miller
Christy, F.L.S., in the chair.
New Members.—Mr. Guy Maynard, Curator of the Saffron Walden
Museum (on behalf of the Committee of the Museum), and Mr. F. T. Sturdy,
"Surinam," Holly Bush Hill, Snaresbrook, were elected.
The President expressed the regret of the Club at the absence of Mr. Buxton
and its cause, and said that the experiments in re-afforesting now being carried
out would have a wide and permanent interest.
Mr. Dent then gave an interesting and valuable detailed account of the
methods and results of the work on the open lands, and of the difficulties and
successes experienced. The great difficulty was the establishment of good turf,
with the character of the virgin turf of Epping. At first he was in favour of
inoculation, but it was found that the expense of labour and cartage was a bar to
that method. Mr. Buxton had resolved that this should be more or less open
down-land, with patches of gorse and thorns. Experts had been consulted with
respect to the production of a forest turf; few of them grasped the problem, and
recommended grasses better adapted for agricultural purposes. Some turf had
been brought from Epping, and this consisted principally of bent, line-leaved
grasses and sheep's fescue. It was decided that native glasses should be sown
Some of the land had been treated with basic slag, with good results. Quitch
and slender foxtail would probably disappear here, as they had done in Epping