20 OCTOBER 1950, Page 8

FARMING AND FORESTRY.

Sin,—My husband and I have just returned to England after driving through a good part, of Normandy and Picardy, and were much im- pressed by the abundance of well-kept woods in France, and the care and pains taken to keep woodland and wayside trees trimmed, free from ivy, etc. After driving through many miles of tree-lined high- ways it is somewhat depressing to observe in Kent, Berkshire and Oxfordshire the unkempt and uncared-for appearance of our English trees. Very many of them are dead or dying, choked by ivy, and are a sad sight for the tree-lover. This letter is prompted by Strix's note in the Spectator of September 22nd and by the hope that something might be done to make us as " tree-conscious " as our French neighbours