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- 

 aftbrestment of Hainhault Forest was due to the initiative of the Prince Consort, 

 who tound 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 oal:s 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 wallced back to the Grange Hill Station. 



MEETING ON THE RIVER LEA : VOYAGE FROM 

 HERTFORD TO ENFIELD LOCK. 



TVednesday, fiine 2()th, 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 kmd and genial 

 friend, the late Major Lamorock Flower, who had so well organised the previous 

 vovages. 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.^ The party assembled at Hertford at about 

 II o'cloclv, and soon afterwards embarked on board the " Salisbuiy," which had 

 been fitted up with cabin and deck for the official visit of the Board, and ]Mr. 

 Corbie, 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 



I See report of former meeting on June 15th, 1899, in E.N., vol', xi., p. 130. 



