530 CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES 



hundred acres of wood and hill land on one of the highest points of the 

 county. On the crest of the hill are some earthworks, which have given 

 rise to the local name ' the Roman Camp,' though there is no reason to 

 suppose that the Romans had anything to do with their construction. It is 

 a great resort for picnic parties on account of the very fine view of the 

 coast-line. In addition they hold two coastal sandhill properties of excep- 

 tional interest, namely Blakeney Point and Scolt Head. Of these two places 

 Professor Oliver wrote — over 14 years ago — ' With the whole world to choose 

 from it would be difficult to find two better examples of the encumbered 

 coast-line type than those provided by Scolt Head and Blakeney Point 

 respectively, two reservations held under the National Trust. As they lie 

 within easy reach of one another on the coast of Norfolk they can be visited 

 conveniently on successive days, and their features compared before the 

 details have faded from the mind.' Not only are these shingle beaches, 

 sand dunes and salt marshes of very great interest from the view of plant 

 ecology, but they are breeding grounds of several species of terns, and 

 also a landing place for migrants arriving in this country from overseas. 



Besides the National Trust the Norfolk Naturalists' Trust own certain 

 properties in the county, namely, Cley Marshes, a hill on the foreshore at 

 Salthouse, and Alderfen Broad at Irstead. 



But there is another type of country in East Anglia of which neither of 

 these Trusts own any part, I refer to the Breck area, which botanically and 

 zoologically is of the very greatest interest. Some of this area has already 

 been taken up and planted by the Forestry Commission, but good tracks 

 are still to be secured if the necessary money is forthcoming. There are 

 many wealthy people in the British Isles ; can they not be induced to help 

 in securing a portion of this unique type of country confined in the British 

 Isles to the Breck area ? There are many interesting historical country 

 houses in East Anglia and probably owners have a difficulty in keeping them 

 up owing to the present-day taxation. The National Trust has a scheme 

 for saving some of these historical homes which, briefly, is as follows : 



An owner transfers his house and grounds to the Trust and is relieved 

 of the accumulative burden of death duties and income tax upon himself 

 and his heirs. In return for this exemption the nation will benefit in two 

 ways : by the permanent and proper maintenance and repair of the property 

 transferred, and by facilities for visiting at certain times of the year. 



Dr. D. H. Valentine. 



At Wicken is a small area of the English Fenland which has never been 

 under cultivation, and which bears a rich and characteristic flora and fauna. 

 Its main features are its peaty, alkaline soil and its high water-table. 



Studies have been made on the variation throughout the year of such 

 physical features of the fen as height of water-table, soil temperature and 

 soil aeration. An important task of the future is to study the life-history 

 of the fen plants and animals in relation to these physical features. This 

 has been begun for Cladium Mariscus. 



Cladium (known as sedge) is one of the most important plants on the fen 

 and has been, in the past, regularly cut as a crop. If all cutting is stopped, 

 bushes, particularly two species of Rhamnus, cover the ground and eventually 

 form a scrub to the exclusion of the ' litter ' and sedge communities. As 

 these disappear, most of the rare and characteristic species of the fen, both 

 plant and animal, disappear too. Regular cutting of sedge and ' litter ' 

 and uprooting of bushes has therefore to be maintained. 



Of the two species of Rhamnus, R. Frangitla is much the more important 



