NATURE NOTES. 
38 
common fir likely to succeed. Few things more strikingly illus- 
trate the way in which the Conservators persistently act in con- 
travention of the spirit of the Epping Forest Act, which pre- 
scribes the maintenance of the natural aspect of the Forest 
than their (mostly futile) efforts at planting fir to the entire 
neglect of hornbeam, the most characteristic tree of the Forest. 
With regard to hornbeam and oak — two, in our opinion, of the 
most important species from the Epping Forest point of view — 
it is well to bear in mind the opinion expressed by the late 
Professor Bagneris, one of the most distinguished of European 
foresters, writing purely from the standpoint of a practical 
timber-producer. 
As for draining (he says) except in the case of stagnant pools, it must be- 
resorted to with great moderation. A few ditches judiciously dug ensure sufficient 
drainage, for it must not be forgotten that our most valuable species delight in- 
very moist and even wet soils, e.g., the pedunculate oak, ash, elm, hornbeam, 
spruce fir and elder. This has been sometimes forgotten. Whenever the water 
is not stagnant so that the soil does not become actual!}' marshy, draining is a 
mistake. There is no doubt that the premature decay of the pedunculated oak in 
many places, and its disappearance in others, are due to over-drainage. This 
species is the tree par excellence of low-lying plains which are subject to floods. 
In 1883 the present writer reported “ that, seeing the man}' 
natural water-courses of the Forest, after the experience of un- 
usually wet seasons, it appears that no more drainage is required, 
but that the planting of alder, willows, poplars, and other trees, 
will be a more natural way of rendering the surface drier.” 
There can, I think, be little objection to a few shallow surface 
drains on level ground, as at Fairmead, to carry off heavy rain- 
falls, or to ditches by the sides of the high roads, or even by 
some of the rides ; but the clearing of natural channels from 
leaves and other obstructions, without cutting them into straight, 
square and bare ditches, as is done at present, seems all that is 
otherwise necessary. The straight ditch from the high road into 
the fosse of Ambresbury Banks may be interesting from a mili- 
tary point of view, but it is so from no other : the clean sweep 
of hawthorn and briar from the banks of the stream between Ep- 
ping and Theydon manors is surely a needless piece of vandalism ; 
and the ditch-digging in Hang-boy Slade and elsewhere has 
risked the Sphagnum and the Sundew sharing the fate of that 
well-nigh exterminated by the unlamented Board of Works at 
Hampstead. This uncontrolled license of the hedger and 
ditcher has, it is believed, never had the approval of the ver- 
derers — gentlemen better qualified, by their residence on the spot 
and the permanence of their office, to judge of the interests of 
the Forest, than are the other members of the Committee. It 
involves a large amount of expensive labour, for no appreciable 
benefit to anything or anybody but the labourers employed, and 
certainly to the great loss of lovers of Nature. 
G. S. Boulger. 
