132 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in inviting the members of the Society to visit his estate, and to 

 Mr Downs and Mr Harbottle for showing them round. The 

 return journey to Leeds was made by Guiseley and Kirkstall 

 Abbey. 



Washburn Valley Catchment Area. 



On Thursday, 5th August, the afforestation area of the city 

 of Leeds, situated in the valley of the Washburn, about eight 

 miles west of Harrogate, was visited. The party were 

 accompanied by Mr C. G. Henzell, M.LC.E., waterworks 

 engineer, and Mr A. Pope, head forester. The route taken 

 was via Harrogate. 



The catchment area extends to about 17,000 acres, of which 

 the city owns nearly 11,000 acres, including several large 

 houses and a large number of small farms, mostly under 

 grass. As the leases of the farms fall in the land is taken 

 over for planting, with the object of conserving the rainfall 

 and ensuring the perfect purity of the water. 



The ground inspected was in the neighbourhood of the 

 Swinsty and Fewston reservoirs, which were formed by building 

 two large dams across the bed of the river, and supply Leeds 

 with water. The compensation reservoir at Lindley Wood, 

 which is about a mile farther down the river, was not visited. 



The area consists chiefly of gentle slopes at elevations vary- 

 ing from 1390 to 449 feet at Fewston and Swinsty to 299 feet 

 at Lindley Wood, the main aspects being south-west and 

 north-east. The average annual rainfall is about 39 inches. 

 The underlying rock is millstone grit with intermediate shales, 

 and the mountain limestone is touched on the north. The 

 soil is generally a sandy loam with clay on the lower portions 

 and northern slopes, and light and dry on the southern slopes, 

 with peat at the higher elevations ; but there are many local 

 variations. 



Planting was commenced in October 1905. From 1906 to 

 1909 it was assisted by grants from the Local Government 

 Board as relief work for Leeds unemployed. As only men 

 registered at the " Unemployment Bureau " could be employed 

 and paid from these grants this plan proved unsuccessful, 

 as unemployed workmen of the best class would not register 

 their names at the Bureau. Many men sent out were 

 physically incapable of hard work, others had been on relief 



