47° Afforestation of Catchment Areas, [nov., 



area is small. Lands held subject to common rights are also 

 excluded. The information supplied by the local authorities 

 does not enable the description of the area to be fully shown in 

 all cases. 



In connection with the above particulars, the following notes 

 may be of interest : — 



Keswick. — The Council intend to plant portions of their land. 



Plymouth. — The Corporation some years ago planted so 

 much of the watershed as then belonged to them. 



Torquay. — The Council have for some years planted trees, 

 and are still planting them, on the catchment area. 



Darwen.— It will shortly be proposed that a moderate sum 

 should be spent annually in planting. 



Manchester. — Small areas of land have been planted at 

 different times by the Corporation, but there is very little 

 depth of soil. 



Oldham. — Experimental afforestation was commenced in 

 1887, but has had only a very moderate degree of success. 

 The high elevation of the areas and consequent severity of the 

 winters, combined with the smoke from neighbouring towns, 

 have to a great extent prevented growth, and trees, after being 

 planted seventeen years, do not exceed ten feet in height, and 

 are stunted in character. 



Birmingham. — The Corporation have had the area reported 

 on, with a view to the apportionment of suitable areas for tree- 

 planting, and about 1,000 acres have been allocated for planta- 

 tions. The trees to be planted are principally larch, with Scotch 

 fir and spruce. The Corporation have been advised to confine 

 themselves entirely to coniferous trees, as deciduous trees would 

 be likely to interfere in the autumn with the purity of the water. 

 This objection does not appear to be well founded, for although 

 evergreen trees, as are most conifers, do not annually denude 

 themselves of all their leaves, they nevertheless shed each year 

 a proportion of their foliage, and there is probably no great 

 difference in the aggregate amount of foliage parted with 

 annually by the two classes of trees. The leaves of most de- 

 ciduous trees would, however, be blown in larger quantity into 

 the reservoir and its feeders, though this could be largely pre- 

 vented by proper management. In any case, the altitudes of 



