LARGEST PLANTATION OF TREES IN BRITAIN

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6954, 6 July 1929, Page 4

LARGEST PLANTATION OF TREES IN BRITAIN

SIXTEEN MILES OE TIMBER. The largest forest in England is rapidly growing under tlie auspices of the Forestry Commission. In the neighbourhood of Thetford for years past there have been tracts of open heath and derelict land, on which thousands of rabbits ran wild, and where the local population was dwindling away. The land is almost pure sand covering chalk. There is little shelter, a low rainfall, protractod periods of drought, and cold east winds. But the conditions are especially favourable to the growth of pines, larches, and firs, and the commissioners have already planted 15,999 acres. In time these will provide some cf the best timber in this country, partly making up for the severe losses of the war, and will stretch for 16 miles over Norfolk and Suffolk. This new forest is also providing employment to an extent not generally realised. In one village of Santon Downham there were only 20 residents in 1923, and now there are 250. No fewer than 629 men have been knotching in small plants, or sowing seeds of pine during the past few months. These have established 147 forest workers’ holdings, three at least of which arc occupied by ex-miners from the Welsh coalfields. These employees are vive-n about ten acres of land, which they cultivate according according to local conditions. Some cultivate as arable, some as dairy land, and others take up poultry or fruit farmThe tenants are guaranteed 150 days’ employment by the commission and also earn on their holdings. Last year a number of the tenants successfully cultivated sugar beet. Thoro is always a long waiting list for these holdings, which would be let many times over. Cottages are being built, containing scullery, kitchen, sitting-room, and three bedrooms, by direct labour, at a cost of just over £3OO each.