240 FORESTS, WOODS, AND TREES 



Merthyr Tydfll obtains its water supply from a gathering 

 ground of 8350 acres in Brecknockshire, comprising the 

 area draining to the river Taf Fechan from the Brecon 

 Beacons southwards to Pontsticill, where the Taf Fechan 

 reservoir is now being constructed across the river valley. 

 The area lies between 1082 and 2906 feet elevation. The 

 area owned as freehold by the Corporation is 623 acres, 

 of which 420|- acres are under water, while 202|- acres 

 are enclosed land around the margins of the reservoirs, 

 viz. : 



Upper Neuadd Reservoir . 1509 feet elevation, 18 acres moorland. 



Lower Neviadd Reservoir . 1413 ,, ,, 31| ,, ,, 



Pentwyn Reservoir . 1087 ,, ,, 26^ ,, pasture 



Taf Fechan Reservoir . 1082 ,, ,, 1261 ,, 



Around the three first reservoirs the Corporation have 

 planted 70 acres; and "conifer plantations and quickset 

 hedges have proved successful at an elevation of 1500 feet, 

 which does not appear to be the limiting altitude for suc- 

 cessful afforestation." 



In a report, dated 26 th August 1914, Mr. T. Harvey, 

 M.Inst. C.E., states that "of the total area, more than 6000 

 acres are mountain moorland, mostly commonable lands, 

 the greater part of which is on the Old Red Sandstone, and 

 eminently adapted for a scheme of afforestation. About 

 1500 acres in the Taf Fechan Valley, adjoining the reser- 

 voir lands, are enclosed lands, cultivated by various land- 

 owners, who use the 6000 acres of mountain moorland within 

 the catchment area for sheep-runs and for cattle grazing. 

 A proportion of the mountain land, perhaps 1000 acres or 

 more, could with advantage be enclosed and planted in a 

 series of belts, leaving the intervening spaces for sheep 

 grazing ; and after a period of years the trees would afford 

 shelter. The subsoil over a large portion of the 6000 acres 

 is of a considerable depth, but near the summit of the hills 

 the rock crops out in escarpments and on the surface. At 

 Blaentaf Farm, nearly 1400 feet above sea-level, large and 

 well-grown ash trees and sycamores may be seen. In my 

 opinion, the afforestation of the moorland, comprising the 



