AFFORESTATION OF PIT MOUNDS 65 
Staffordshire, where 100 trees have been planted in the 
playground, says that the influence on the children has 
been uplifting. The district is inhabited by a rough class, 
yet the absence of vandalism is now noticeable. Here, 
however, the tree-planting is too small in its scope to 
have effected as yet any great change in the tone, manners, 
and spirit of the people. Mr. Martineau confirms the 
remarks of these teachers, and says that the plantations 
have had a most cheering effect on the people near-by. 
Some of the plantations are regarded by the neighbours 
with positive affection. 
The Black Waggon plantation, which has been taken 
charge of by the Higher Grade School of Rowley Regis 
Parish, is a fair example of the average growth to be obtained 
in this kind of forestry. This mound consists partly of 
grey shale and partly of shale mixed with slack. The 
slack was fired and much of the ground is burned out. One 
part is still hot, and has naturally not been touched. Alder 
has been planted on the sticky grey shale; birch on the 
burnt-out part, a loose and very friable soil; and black 
Italian poplar on the lower slopes. Some other species 
have been tried experimentally, chiefly at the base of the 
mound, viz. willow, sycamore, wych elm, grey alder, 
Robinia, and Sitka spruce; but thorn and Austrian pine 
have failed, and the soil is not good enough for sycamore. 
Black Waggon mound was planted in 1907-1909, 24 acres 
being covered with 5000 trees; and the average measure- 
ments of the three chief species in November 1916 
were : 
Poplar, 19 feet high, 10 inches in girth at 3 feet above the ground. 
Alder, 17} a 8 #! i 
Birch, 16 ‘5 a QC a 
The even growth, due to close planting, is remarkable; and 
this huge black bald mound, formerly an eyesore to the 
district, is now covered with splendid trees, likely to 
develop into good timber. The Midland Reafforesting 
Association has proved that valuable plantations of certain 
F 
