Letters to the Editor - March 2009

Robin Page’s recent comments about the reintroduction of the sea eagle, together with Chris Smith’s letter (December), both expose the hypocrisy of the RSPB, while bemoaning the fall in small bird numbers, in seeking to protect and increase birds of prey — but this can only be done at the expense of the birds on which they prey.

For as long as I can remember, the RSPB have lambasted farmers for destroying bird habitat and reducing their food supply by modern farming methods. No one doubts that this has been a factor, but not the only one. The RSPB makes no mention of the thousands of acres of new habitat, much of it planted by farmers, nor the thousands of miles of hedgerow planted along all our new roads; it refuses to concede that the magpie, together with some nine million domestic cats, is responsible for the loss of millions of eggs and fledglings.

Why doesn’t it do something positive, like the vole people, and breed sparrows in captivity and repopulate new habitat?

Edwin S Phillips, Birmingham

Rob Lamb in the January issue asks for the author of the words “O more than happy Countryman, if he but knew his good fortune”.

The quotation is attributed to Virgil. But there is more. Quite by coincidence, while browsing through my copy of The Countryman dated January 1933 (vol VI, no 4, page 849) there is a full-page photograph of the inscription as described by Rob Lamb. The caption explains: “A study in lichen on The Country­man office — the lichen is a species of Placodium. The lettering follows that on the tomb of Christopher Wren’s foreman in the neighbouring Burford Church.”

Did Robertson Scott have a mason put it there when he relocated to Idbury in or just before 1927? Or, was it a happy coincidence for him, that it was already in place, right at the point when he had decided to found this wonderful magazine?

Well, whichever way, RS clearly loved this quotation. In fact, it appears at the head of his editorial for the duration of his editorship to 1947, through his successor John Cripps, but disappears, along with many other oft-used quotations, during Crispin Gill’s editorship. There are no further references by
the time of the fiftieth birthday edition in 1977.

If this was indeed Robertson Scott’s favourite quotation, then my own favourite must have been a close second, namely: “When it shall be found that much is omitted, let it not be forgotten that likewise, much is performed”. Eloquent lines from the word-smith Dr Johnson. RS clearly had a great admiration for Johnson and his great literary heritage.

Other quotations appeared at the head of countless articles through the decades. He certainly seems to have had an affinity to Cromwell. Many of Cromwell’s quotes were published.
I believe that a ‘pattern’ develops that (perhaps) goes some way towards understanding the character that was J W Robertson Scott.
nigel green, abingdon, oxon

Nigel Green, Abingdon, Oxon

Could any Countryman readers please inform me if they, or their friends, have been attacked or threatened by cattle with or without calves, while walking alone or with a dog, along a public footpath in the countryside?
There are reports on our website www.cardiganisland.com/petition which suggest that these cattle attacks might be more prevalent than initially thought.

L J Jenkins, Cardigan

I was interested in Humphrey Phelps’ piece on hedges (January). My farming memories go back to the early 1950s. Like Humphrey’s, all our hedges were ‘splashed’ using a short-blade Midland splasher in midsummer. The men would cut either side, while I would scythe out the ditch and make neat piles of the trimmings at precise intervals.

The maxim was that ‘growth follows stroke’, meaning that the clean glancing cut of the sharp blade left a lead bud in the direction of the stroke. Consequently, the lower section of the hedge was cut with a downward stroke. This ensured that the lower, vulnerable, section was always dense and stock-proof. In fact, those hedges were virtually hen-proof.

As this was Quorn Friday country, any wire was religiously removed before November and the farm hedges were cut and laid in rotation.

Michael Thorndyke, Argyll

Towards the end of her interesting article regarding the source of the River Thames (January), Sara Goodwins refers to the old saying about setting the Thames on fire.

However, I recall reading that the saying does not mean the river. Apparently, in the North Country, if labourers worked particularly hard with a wood-sawing machine they could cause the sawdust to smoke and smoulder. In contrast, if they were slacking, they were told: “You’ll never set the Thames on fire” — the machine having been manufactured by a company named Thames. I enjoy asking people what they think is the background to the saying, and they usually mention the fire of London.

David Jessett, by email

I very much enjoyed December’s ‘A Woodman’s Notebook’. Tony Grace pointed out that the word ‘yule’ comes from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning ‘yoke of the year’. Readers might also be interested to know that Jól occurred in Old Norse, and Géol in Old English.

The word is also currently in use in contemporary Scandinavian languages, but having the later meaning of Christmas:
Swedish, Danish, Norwegian — Jul
Icelandic — Jól
Finnish — Joulu

However, I would suggest that these almost certainly stemmed from the earlier ‘yoke of the year’ meaning. It is notable that the Anglo-Saxon and Viking periods ran virtually parallel to each other in this country.

Vincent Trewartha, Wallingford

A piece in ‘Tail Corn’ reminded me of the woman walking with her husband on one of the country’s most beautiful beaches. Her comment was “There’s nothing ’ere but blooming sand”.
A Ray, Chesham, Bucks

We welcome readers' letters, which should be sent to:
Countryman, The Water Mill, Broughton Hall, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 3AG
Or email: editorial@thecountryman.co.uk

The editor reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity.