xl 
Appendix No. 1. 
manner. Though in the reservation of common lands these parochial 
rights are apparently inevitable, they are certainly adverse to the best 
interest of the forests, and therefore of the public, and should only be 
exercised under the authority and supervision of the Forest officers. 
Some of the disused gravel-pits, when really exhausted and not merely 
abandoned by the whims of destructive diggers, might well be made into 
natural, irregular, and picturesque pieces of water, instead of being 
elaborately drained as at present. 
We next drove to the “ plain ” by Chingford Station, an extensive grass 
fallow marked by ridge and furrow and almost treeless. Though it may 
be desirable to leave much of this open, especially when rendered more 
level by rolling, as a drill-field and gallop, yet it would be well to take 
advantage of the shelter afforded by Hawkwood on the crest of the hill 
to break the stiff boundary of that wood by planting. 
Between Hawkwood and Bury Wood there is a patch of fallow sepa¬ 
rated from Chingford Plain by a belt of trees, and thus admirably adapted 
for the site of a nursery, for which purpose it might be enclosed without 
serious detriment to any one. In Hawkwood itself is an illustration of 
pollard Hornbeams unthinned, overcrowded, killing one another, rotting 
at their tops, and sending up vertical, unpicturesque, and leafless 
branches. Probably half of these, if not more, might be removed with 
advantage to the remainder ; but much judgment should be exercised in 
selection, and there are other forestal operations which more pressingly 
demand the attention of the Conservators. There is only a scanty 
undergrowth of Hawthorn; but it must be remembered that in many 
of our most beautiful tree-glades, such as High Beach and Little Monk 
Wood here, and in Fir woods generally, we cannot have underwood. 
In traversing Bury Wood, near Hawkwood Farm, we came upon an 
open green glade or “ride” that well illustrated what such gangways 
should be, as contrasted with those that have been made during the last 
five years. Its sides were not straight or even, nor was the central space 
unbroken. There were clumps of Blackthorn, Bramble, and Briar, with 
here and there a fine young tree springing from the centre of one of these 
natural chevaux-de-frise , enough, in fact, to prevent the passage of a 
waggon, for which such “rides” are not intended. Many such glades 
might be made with advantage to the beauty of the Forest and to its 
safety from Forest fires ; but it is seldom desirable to run them for more 
than 200 yards or so in a straight line. 
We next crossed an open space of another type, known as Ludgate 
Plain, a somewhat swampy tract, with a stream running through it. 
Considering that we have just experienced an unusually wet season, I do 
not think this a spot that calls for artificial drainage, though the natural 
watercourse might be kept clear. I should advocate the diversifying of 
this and similar spots by the planting of clumps of Alder, a beautiful 
tree not common in the district. Such trees as this and species of 
Willow and Poplar would aid very much in preventing the accumulation 
of stagnant water. It was pointed out that young trees can be well 
notched in singly in the middle of a clump of Thorn, which will then 
serve as a protection against deer and cattle. At the same time masses 
of dead Bramble beneath the shade of grown trees are a source of danger 
from their inflammability, and should be removed. 
Passing much open ground about Fairmead Bottom, we then entered 
the grand grove of Beeches at High Beach, and, after enjoying the view 
over the Lea Yalley, drove to Theydon Thicks, in the hope of sighting 
some of the deer. The young Birches here form a most attractive 
feature, and the general feeling of our party seemed to be against any 
such introduction of exotics as that of Bhododendron politician, which 
