220 The Breckland 



the crops a necessity. The Corsican pine, although not immune to attack, 

 is much less frequently damaged, and plantations of this species are fuU of 

 vigorous, straight poles. 



Most of the plants used in the afforestation in Breckland have been 

 raised locally in the Commission's own nurseries, the most important of 

 which are situated at Weeting, Lynford, Harling, and Santon Downham. 

 These extend to 88 acres, and at the end of September 1937 they contained 

 five million transplants and fourteen million seedlings. About eight 

 thousand pounds of seed are sown annually. 



One important side of the work is protection against fire, which, on 

 account of the dry climate and the inflammable nature of the crop, is a 

 serious menace particularly in the spring and summer. There are two 

 observation towers manned in periods of danger, and connected by 

 telephone with the central office at Santon Downham; while patrols are 

 also put along the roads. In order to prevent fires spreading from road 

 or railway, strips are ploughed and kept free from vegetation, while 

 similar strips are also ploughed along rides through the forest. These 

 ploughed strips are generally sufficient to prevent the spread of a ground 

 fire in its early stages. Broad-leaved crops are less inflammable than 

 conifers, and for some years it has been the policy to plant belts of hard- 

 wood trees along roadsides to serve as a protection. These will also have 

 the effect of adding to the amenity of the countryside, and to promote 

 this, various ornamental trees like the red oak and the wild cherry are now 

 being planted, in addition to the common species such as oak, birch, beech, 

 and sycamore. 



In addition to their programme of afforestation, the Commissioners 

 were charged with land settlement, which they have been carrying out by 

 means of their forestry- workers' holding schemes. Holdings are generally 

 created in the proportion of one for every 200 acres. Each holding 

 consists of a house, buUdings, and land which does not as a rule extend to 

 more than ten acres. The holders are guaranteed 150 days' work in the 

 year, but many of them obtain almost full-time employment. There are 

 at present 188 of these holdings in the Breckland forests, and they house 

 630 persons, of whom 134 are workers in the plantations. At the end of 

 1937, the value of the live stock on these holdings was estimated at ;^798o. 

 The number of workmen employed by the Commissioners in Breckland 

 during 1937 varied between 300 in the winter months and 225 during the 

 summer months, when the amount of work available normally falls off. 

 In addition to the holdings there are within the boundaries of the forests 

 twenty-four farms let on agricultural tenancies. These are not likely to be 

 planted. 



