hen, until a permanent arrangement should be made, which was not,
however, before the 11th of November, when the office was conferred on
Sir James Campbell, Bart., heretofore Deputy-Surveyor of Bere and
Parkhurst Forests, and now selected for the ability he had shown in their
management. The Treasury Letter announcing his appointment also states
that "after the satisfactory opinion conveyed in the Report of Messrs.
Matthews, Menzies, and Murton regarding the system of management
heretofore followed in this Forest, the time has come when Mr. Machen may
be honourably relieved from the charge which he so long ably fulfilled,
and which he resumed at the request of this Board."

During this year (1854) no less than 4,982 acres 1 rood 20 poles of
plantation were thrown open, comprising the enclosures of Haywood, Edge
Hills, Ruerdean Hill, and Aston Bridge. The following licences were
likewise granted:--To the Messrs. Kingsford for constructing a length of
tramway connecting the Woodside Colliery with a terminus to be formed at
Church-way; to Messrs. Allaway for making a tramroad from the Plumphill
to their iron-mine at Wigpool; to Messrs. Davis, Cooper, and Roberts to
open a brickyard, and to sink additional iron-pits at Cinderford,
Clearwell, and Lamb's Quay.

In 1855 information was sought to be procured as to the expediency of
removing the dead wood from growing oak-trees. The practice hitherto had
been not to do so, a course of which a large number of timber merchants,
whose known experience justified their being consulted, expressed their
unanimous approval, declaring it far better to leave its removal to
nature. Another interesting investigation was now also instituted,
relative to the suitableness of the Deodara pine as a Forest tree.
Upwards of 120,000 plants had been raised from seed, supplied by the East
India Company, in four private nurseries, half of which were distributed
in Dean Forest and the New and Delamere Forests; but it is yet too early
to afford any definite results. The young plants, however, appear to be
particularly susceptible to frost.

On the 31st of March in this year the Hon. James Kenneth Howard was
appointed one of the Chief Commissioners to administer the affairs of the
Royal Forests, the Hon. Charles Gore having for some time, after Mr.
Kennedy's retirement, been the sole Commissioner.

Three additional coal-mines, called Richard White's Colliery, Hollow
Meadow ditto, and Ruardean dit