———  ————— - 
AFFORESTATION AT THETFORD CHASE 35 
Before planting is commenced on any of the areas, wire-netting fences 
have to be erected and rabbits excluded. It might be thought that the 
extermination of rabbits inside the enclosures would be a difficult matter 
in such sandy soil and on areas which were practically rabbit warrens 
before afforestation. The local warreners, however, are experts at their 
work and their methods have been so effective that no considerable 
damage has been done since operations commenced. Previous to planting, 
surface vegetation has sometimes to be burnt off, but in places which 
have not been fenced, rabbits keep all growth except perhaps patches of 
gorse and bracken in check to such an extent that burning is not always 
necessary. In cultivating the ground shallow furrows are ploughed, 
4 ft. 6 in. apart, and seedlings or small transplants are then ‘ notched in’ 
—a vertical slit being made for the plant’s reception. Direct sowing of 
pine seed has been tried, but although some plantations have been success- 
fully established in this way, the method is on the whole less satisfactory 
than planting, and not much less expensive. 
Most of the conifer plants have been raised locally, the Forestry Com- 
mission having nurseries at Weeting, Lynford, West Harling and Santon 
Downham. In these nurseries approximately 10,000 lb. of seed are sown 
annually, and several million seedlings and transplants are raised. 
In common with pine plantations in other areas of low soil fertility, 
those at Thetford have suffered to some extent from insect pests, par- 
ticularly from caterpillars of the pine shoot moth (Tortrix (Evetria) 
buoliana), and those of sawflies (Lophyrus pini and L. rufus), With regard 
to the tortrix, disbudding has been carried out without much success, 
but thinning operations should easily correct matters by gradually 
eliminating the deformed trees. As for the sawflies, their natural enemies 
soon gain the upper hand when the rate of increase becomes too great. 
The risk of loss from fire in plantations so largely composed of resinous 
species causes much anxiety, but elaborate precautions, including the 
erection of a look-out tower, have been taken to ensure safety and the 
various protective measures are frequently revised and made more effective. 
To increase the supply of local labour and to improve conditions for the 
workpeople, forest workers’ holdings to the number of about 160 have 
been established. Each holder is allotted about 6 or 7 acres of land, and 
he is guaranteed a minimum of 150 days’ employment per annum. The 
scheme has worked well and has proved an important means of arresting 
rural depopulation in the district. New bungalows for the holdings are 
erected at a cost of from £350 to £400, according to situation, and where 
old buildings have been converted the reconstruction has cost on an 
average from {150 to £250. 
As to the final results of afforestation at Thetford Chase, only a rough 
forecast can be given, but as an indication it may be stated that the conifer 
plantations will be felled at about seventy years of age when fully-stocked 
areas may be expected to yield 3,000 to 4,000 cubic feet of timber 
per acre. This should assist in supplying the enormous demand for 
softwoods for building, railway sleepers, etc. Poles, pitprops and fencing 
material will also be obtained from the thinnings, which will be made at 
regular intervals until the crop attains maturity. 
