102 FOEESTS, WOODS, AND TEEES 



feet. The greater part of the area is open mountain 

 pasture and moorland, not carrying more than one sheep 

 to the acre. Geologically the area consists of Lower Silurian 

 slates, grits, and conglomerates ; and on some of the flatter 

 tops of the hills peat occurs in places to a considerable 

 depth. The catchment area is sparsely peopled, there being 

 only 30 inhabited dwelling-houses in 1912, containing 

 a population of perhaps 150, or say 2 persons per square 

 mile. The greater part of the area is commonable land, 

 but the Corporation have secured the rights over most of 

 the commons, and have purchased all freehold lands in 

 order to be able to protect the water from pollution at its 

 source. "These commons now carry about 24,000 sheep, 

 and no cattle are allowed, so that the freedom of the water 

 from animal contamination is beyond doubt." According 

 to information supplied officially in July 1918, the 

 Birmingham Corporation have acquired manorial rights 

 over the whole area of 45,562 acres. The Corporation 

 now own all the freeholds, 5263 acres, of which 878 acres 

 are covered by reservoirs. The commons comprise 40,299 

 acres; and the Corporation have acquired common rights 

 and rights of pasturage over 32,714 acres, leaving an area 

 of 7585 acres, of which these rights are unpurchased or 

 disputed. 



The low-lying valleys, which formerly served as winter- 

 ing ground for sheep with farm steadings, etc., became useless 

 for this purpose as soon as they were submerged and 

 occupied by reservoirs. It was found necessary to provide 

 shelter for flocks ; and the Corporation decided that the 

 best form of shelter would be the putting down of planta- 

 tions in suitable places. Certain sites were selected, and 

 by 1909 nine separate plantations, with an area of 410 

 acres, between 900 and 1500 feet elevation had been 

 made and were reported to be very flourishing. The work 

 here was done by contract, costing according to elevation 

 from £3 : 13 : 7 to £4 : 18 : 9 per acre, exclusive of fencing 

 and clearing the site. These items raised the total average 

 cost to £7 : 10s. per acre. 



