VOL. XIX. (l) 
EXCURSION— FOREST OF DEAN 
9 
EXCURSIONS 
1915 
EXCURSION TO THE FOREST OF DEAN. 
Tuesday, May i8th, 1915. 
Directors : Frank Smith and L. Richardson. 
[Report by L. Richardson and W. Thompson.) 
So pleased were Members of the Club with their visit in May, 1914, to study 
forestry in the Forest of Dean^ and the evidence disclosed of a bold attempt 
to deal with the important question of afforestation on scientific lines, that 
it was considered advisable to commence the summer excursions of 1915 
with another visit to the arboreal nurseries and plantations under Govern- 
ment control. No doubt the war has materially quickened interest in this 
important question, for with the great demand for timber has also come the 
thought that there must be no further delay in approaching the question of 
afforestation in a less perfunctory way than has obtained up to the present. 
That is to say, the nation must do something more than utter pious opinions 
respecting what is necessary. An impetus was given to the feeling on Tuesday 
in the Forest of Dean, when the Members inspected thousands of seedlings 
and other trees of young growth and listened to the explanatory remarks of 
Mr Frank Smith, Head Crown Woodman, who deputised in place of Mr. 
Osmaston, Deputy-Surveyor of the Forest of Dean, and Mr C. O. Hanson, 
Assistant Deputy-Surveyor, who, owing to pressure of work due to the war, 
were unable to be present. Last year Mr Hanson acted as cicerone, and 
previously he had lectured to the Members at Gloucester. He had also kindly 
welcomed three Members of the Club to the nurseries situated not far from the 
School of Forestry, and provided one of them with facilities for writing par- 
ticulars, which were afterwards incorporated in the “ Proceedings ” of the 
Club,^ so it may be claimed that a good deal of attention has been paid to 
one of the most important enterprises being carried on in the County. [W.T.] 
The Members motored from Gloucester direct to “ The Rock ” at 
Symond’s Yat. Here the Hon. Secretary made some remarks on the geology 
of the district. 
Arising out of the Secretary’s remarks on the geology of this district, 
Mr F. H. Bretherton said that he understood that the main reason why no 
serious attempts were made to work the iron ore in the Forest now was be- 
cause of the uncertainty as to the extent of the deposits or “ churns.”® 
Mr Richardson added that until the introduction of machinery for the 
purpose, nail-making was an important petty industry. He had obtained 
information that nails used to be made in sheds adjoining cottages in New- 
land Street, Coleford ; at Little Dean, where there is ample evidence of the 
1 Proc. Cotteswold Nat. F.C., vol. xviii., pt. 3 (1914), pp. 197-204. 
2 W. Thompson, id., vol. xviii., pt. i (1913). PP- 63-65. 
3 An excellent account of the iron-making in the Forest of Dean up to 1866 is contained in the 
Rev. H. G. Nicholls’ book—" Iron Making in the Olden Times, etc.,’’ which is still obtainable at 
Coleford. 
