188 FORESTS, WOODS, AND TREES 



when the rains come, inadequately stored water is drawn 

 for purposes of filtration, and at the same time the filters 

 may not be working efficiently from one cause or another. 

 The degree of safety conferred by storage and filtration is 

 after all a debatable matter. The results of analyses show 

 that not unfrequently the raw waters from the Entwistle, 

 Heaton, and High Rid reservoirs are polluted and unsafe. 

 After heavy rains, when the waters have received the 

 washings from manured fields and slop-water from human 

 dwellings, the organisms present therein have reached 

 several thousands per cubic centimetre, notwithstanding that 

 such waters were stored previous to being drawn for use. 

 The policy of the Corporation in abandoning farms and 

 closing all human habitations on the watersheds supplying 

 domestic water is fully justified." 



Some years ago experimental plantations were made on 

 the Belmont watershed by the Corporation ; but after the 

 expenditure of large sums of money the venture was not 

 successful, notwithstanding that in the selection of the 

 species and in the mode of planting expert advice had been 

 obtained. In October and December 1912 Mr. Lewis 

 Mitchell wrote two reports on a conjoint scheme of the 

 Liverpool and Bolton Corporations for the afforestation of 

 6000 acres on the Rivington, Belmont, and Entwistle 

 catchment areas, provided that the assistance of the 

 Development Commissioners could be obtained. The latter 

 sent two experts to examine the watersheds ; and after 

 inspecting the growing timber in the district, of which there 

 is very little, they were decidedly of opinion that the scheme 

 of afforestation, if undertaken, would not be successful from 

 a commercial point of view, and the matter was sub- 

 sequently allowed to drop. 



Heywood and Middleton Water Board obtain their water 

 supply from (1) Naden Brook, with a gathering ground of 

 1250 acres, between 724 and 1500 feet elevation; and 

 (2) Ashworth Moor, gathering ground of 1380 acres, 

 between 926 and 1468 feet elevation. The whole of the 



