5.
very variable. Some farmers are very wild life
conscious and keep ponds and small reserves
especially for wild life and do a good job, but
often we don't hear much about them. Others are
to the extreme and do completely disregard nature
by cutting down too many hedges and filling in all
their ponds. The majority fall into the middle
category and of these many preserve game and in so
doing preserve some wild life alongside. No doubt
the cleaning up operation in the field of toxic
chemicals has helped to turn back the tide as, for
example, the increase in the birds of prey.
However, many farmers if you really get down to
their heart of hearts agree that the industry must
look carefully at what they are doing to the soil,
the land, and the animals and plants that live on
it. Personally, I feel that some farms where
pheasants are reared are definately overstocked
and this means that they strip out too much plant
and insect life and many farmers agree that this is
so. Moderation in numbers must be the answer. The
true sporting farmers are to my mind the few who
delight in a balance of all, i.e. a few deer, some
foxes and the right number of game birds for their
land.
---oOo---
Dagenham Town Show
We have again booked our place in the social
and recreational marquee of the Dagenham Town Show
which will be held this year on the weekend of 10-
11th July. If you can help in constructing the stand
on Friday evening and Saturday morning or help with
manning over the weekend, then please let me know.
We desperately need the use of a van or several large
cars for transporting all the material from Dagenham
to Chelmsford on the Sunday evening or Monday after
the show. Ron Allen, Soil Survey, Writtle Agricul-
tural College, Writtle, Chelmsford.