The new era., 1909-11-04


men who do not realize the
Importance of burning old.
4 \ dead heather in order to
provide food for grouse,
there are nevertheless many moors.
especially in the Highlands, where
the system adopted to attain this end
leaves much to be desired. The ad-
vantages of burning in autumn are
not as general rule appreciated, and
on several moors the burning is con-
Quoted in such a haphazard fashion
that valuable cover is destroyed in
places where there is little or no shell
ter for the birds. while on other beats
rank heather is much in evidence.
The objects Of heather burning are
twofoid. In the first place. 1t is nee
essary to remove the old and long
heather through which young birds
fail to find their way, being subse-
quently separated from their mother
and lost. while 1t is scarcely neces-
sary to mention that the second and
principal object is to provide young
shoots. tender and succulent, for the
food supply OF the grouse. old and
young. During a long experience of
the management of grouse moors, the
writer has been much struck by the
rapidity with which a well-burnt moor
RECEIVERS from disease, and how a
shooting managed systematically on
modern lines often escapes the dread
ed malady. while its neighbors on
either side are suffering. The fact
is that disease, which is in most
cases caused by the ernal parasites.
attacks only birds which have, through
some cause. become weakly, and fire.
quently the predisposing cause is
merely starvation. While the young
shoots of heather on which the
grouse are dependent during the
spring and early summer are slow in
appearing if the heather is old and
rank, the tendency of young heather
is to produce green vigorous shoots
at an earlier period.
A keeper or sportsman, on being
placed in charge or taking possession
of new moor. naturally examines
the ground with some care to ascer-
tain to what extent his predecessors
have performed their duty in this re-
spect If he finds the moor we'll
burnt, young. vigorous heather grow
ing alongside the recently-burnt feed
ing grounds. and the whole present
ing that patchwork appearance which
30 gladdens the heart OF the grouse
preserver. his task will be fairly sim.
pie. He has now only to burn the diff
ferent strips or patches in rotation,
according to the quantity of cover in
proportion to feeding grounds which
he deems necessary. If, however, he
finds that the moor has been neg.
lected, that long. rank heather pre-.
dominates. that young heather is
scarce and that dead, wiry appear
ance characterizes the cover on the
high grounds. more drastic method
of treatment is required. Larger
strips may be burnt, and these in
their turn, some years later. may be
divided into cover and feeding
grounds. Sooner or later the bulk
of the rank heather must disappear,
and during his first few seasons all
that is not required for cover must
be got rid Of The dead heather on
the high grounds may be burnt
wholesale, for it is useless either as
cover or food Much of the rank
heather probably will not burn clean
to the ground. and second burning
In the following year. the sooner the
better. will be necessary. 1t is on
such a moor as this that the system
of burning in autumn proves its value
The rank heather may be got rid OF
In the autumn, and the second burn
ing will be performed the following
spring The dead heather on the
high grounds, where in all probability
no spring burning is possible on ac
count of the snow may be burnt clean
during the sunny days which follow
the early frosts OF autumn. 1t often
happen that q snowstorm sweeps
hoross the high grounds in October
Or November, and after the bulk oi
1t has melted. the drifts frequently
serve as barriers to stay the progress
of the nre. The practice of firing
heather. leaving 1t to burn unchecked
tow ards q drift cannot. however. be
commended, unless In very exception
II cireumStances whom no possible