202 FOKESTS, WOODS, AND TEEES 



Oldham has a moorland gathering ground of 5480 acres 

 in the Pennine Eange, Yorkshire, of which 3027 acres are 

 owned by the Corporation. There are three catchment 

 areas as follows : Eiver Medlock area, 660 acres in extent, 

 between 778 and 1225 feet elevation; Eiver Eoach area, 

 2520 acres in extent, between 690 and 1500 feet elevation; 

 Eiver Tame area, 2300 acres in extent, between 762 and 

 1500 feet elevation. The Corporation own 199 acres on 

 the Medlock area, 1196 acres on the Eoach area, and 1632 

 acres on the Tame area. 



Only 40 acres have been planted with trees, viz. 

 1 6 acres each on the Eoach and Tame areas, and 8 acres on 

 the Medlock area. The water is not filtered. The Cor- 

 poration have been enabled by their purchase of land to 

 demolish all the habitations on the gathering ground. On 

 the lands draining to the domestic supply reservoirs, only 

 sheep grazing is allowed and no cultivation or manuring is 

 permitted. 



Batley has a gathering ground of 1600 acres at Holm- 

 firth, on the north-east slope of the Pennine range, between 

 770 and 1720 feet elevation, all hill pasture with under- 

 lying peat, except 20 acres of arable land annually under 

 the plough, and 25 acres of very poor plantations. The 

 Corporation recently purchased 600 acres of the area, 

 all below 1500 feet altitude. There are 10 habitations 

 (some empty) and 8 farm-steadings (some unused); but 

 the water for domestic use, which is not filtered, is drawn 

 from the reservoir above the level of the habitations and 

 cultivated lands. Farms and buildings are carefully drained, 

 and tillage is controlled as much as possible, most of the 

 land being used for grazing. There are three storage reser- 

 voirs, Yateholme, Eiding Hood, and Eamsden, all together on 

 the Eamsden Clough Stream at the head-waters of the 

 river Holme, 2 to 3 miles south-west of Holmfirth, and 

 ^ mile south-east of Holme. The annual rainfall for 20 

 years ranged between 40'1 and 73*3 inches, averaging 

 59 inches. 



