34 SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF NORWICH AND DISTRICT 
Alge. 
32. BLOOMFIELD, E. N.: (Marine), Norf. Nat., viii, 809. 
33. CHAPMAN, V. J.: (Scolt Head Island), as 3. 
34. CoTTON, A. D.: (Blakeney Point), Norf. Nat., xii, 639. 
35. GELDART, H. D.: (Marine), Norf. Nat., iii, 532. 
36. KitTon, F.: (Diatomacee), Norf. Nat., ii, 336 ; iti, 754. 
V. 
AFFORESTATION AT THETFORD 
CHASE 
BY 
FRASER STORY, 
H.M. FORESTRY COMMISSION, LONDON. 
Tue Forestry Commissioners last year re-issued a pamphlet, Forestry 
Commission Areas in Norfolk and Suffolk, and most of the data in the 
following notes have been taken from that publication. 
At Thetford Chase the Commissioners have planted 26,000 acres out of 
about 34,000 acres of plantable land acquired. Nearly all of this is too 
poor for agriculture, but is capable of producing forest crops of the less 
exacting species. In course of time this big tract of land should bear 
valuable timber, the soil will undoubtedly improve under forest occupa- 
tion, and, meanwhile, tree-planting and tending operations are having 
a favourable effect on employment. 
Most of the areas being afforested are on level or gently undulating 
land, consisting of sandy soil overlying chalk. ‘The lack of natural shelter 
intensifies the effects of spells of east wind and frost in spring, and of 
drought in summer. Scots pine and Corsican pine suit the locality and 
produce a class of timber for which there is always a large and ready 
market. Beech may also be grown, and is particularly suitable for planting 
where the chalk comes near the surface; as is well known, however, it 
is very susceptible to damage from frost, especially in its early years, and 
to overcome this difficulty is one of the most serious problems engaging 
the attention of the Commission. Beech will probably continue to be 
difficult to establish until the time for re-stocking in the second rotation 
arrives, when shelter will be afforded by the older trees. Douglas fir 
and larch are capable of satisfactory growth if uninterfered with by frost, 
but apparently there is risk of heart-rot in the latter species. Considera- 
tions of amenity and fire protection have prompted the planting of 
hardwood belts along roadsides and elsewhere, prominent among the 
species used being English oak, American oak, Spanish chestnut, copper 
beech and black Italian poplar. 
