10 OCTOBER 1947, Page 14

County Pride

Now the mound referred to is just inside Bedfordshire ; and that pleasant shire, like many others, has just begun to publish a Bedfordshire magazine ; and a very good one. I would suggest to the editor that he. urges the county authorities to the uncostly work of removing relics of war. One of the articles in the first number of this excellent one shilling quarterly gives the case for Nature Reserves and suggests that "the Chalk Hills are the most beautiful part. The natural life is here unique and varied. The open hills have a floral succession beginning with the purple Pasque Flower of beauty and legend, followed by native orchises, milk- worts and vetches in summer, and gentians and eyebrights at the end of the season. The insect and bird life is equally interesting." There follows a list of "the chief threats." No mention is made of the threat accomplished during the war. It is a curious coincidence that since writing the first of these paragraphs I have discovered that the editorial office at Barton-in-the-Clay (a delightfully English name) is within a mile or two of the hill in question. May the paper's activity begin at home I