Plant trees – and make sure they are watered

I am delighted to hear Angela Eagle has pledged that half a million trees will be planted in the next three years (Report, 30 September). However, it is really important that there is a system for regular watering until they become established. Across the country there are swathes of newly planted saplings where about 80% have died due to lack of appropriate management. The resulting impact on climate, shade and water storage is also reduced by 80%.
Diana Lowry
Epping, Essex

• If Andy Burnham does promise a referendum on rejoining the EU (Report, 3 October), I hope he will have courage enough to say that, for this constitutional issue, the threshold for victory will be at least 60%, rather than a simple majority, as should have been the case in the 2016 referendum.
John Bridcut
Liss, Hampshire

• I hope you mean smartglasses, not smart glasses (Norway plans temporary ban on smart glasses in some public places, 5 October). I shall be very disappointed not to be able to visit Oslo next year in my rather fetching Garrett Leight varifocals.
Mark Hann
Dorridge, West Midlands

• I remember being told as a child that, when visitors overstayed their welcome (Letters, 5 October), my Uncle Leo used to say to his wife: “Haway, Mary, we need to go to bed. These good folk want to go home!”
Pat Finn
Sunderland

• When anyone overstayed their welcome, my late brother-in-law would put on a recording of traditional Chinese opera.
Val Mainwood
Wivenhoe, Essex

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