ITS MANAGEMENT
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parts being reserved for golf, the flatter portions
for football and cricket.
Forest Fires.—This scourge is responsible
for much mischief and many unsightly clearances
which were unjustly attributed to the recklessness
of the Conservators. Some are the result of care-
lessness ; some of thoughtless larking. A few, I
fear, are caused by deliberate incendiarism. In
the latter category must, I fear, be placed the
disastrous fires which occurred in 1894 in St.
Thomas's Quarters and its neighbourhood. The
most inflammable material is dead heather and
brake fern, and the most dangerous period is
during dry weather in March and April. Owing
to the fact that the vessels are then full of rising
sap, the injury, which in the case of young trees
means death, is then most marked. Something
may be done by raking away inflammable growth
from the base of the stems of young trees, but
the best safeguard is, whenever a dry spell occurs
in the spring, to multiply the watchers in those
parts which are in the most critical condition. It
is worth noticing that birch trees, of twenty years
growth or more, enjoy practical immunity from the
effects of fire owing to the roughness of bark which
they develop at the base. Oaks have the same
valuable quality, but they only attain it at a much
later stage of growth, and in a young state are
peculiarly susceptible. The older beeches are
protected by the fact that surface growth does not
thrive under their branches.
Boundaries of the Forest.—I regret to
say that small encroachments on the boundaries
of the Forest still sometimes occur. It seems
almost unnecessary to point out that Trustees of
public lands are under an obligation to be at least
as strict in such matters as private owners. Above
all, should they themselves be above suspicion of
showing favour to individuals, or of enclosing a
yard of forest land for any purpose except as
authorised by the Epping Forest Act. It has
been contended that the Conservators have the
right to enclose portions of the Forest adjoining