IIG APPENDIX G 



unfavouraljle reports from Easter Eoss appear to have been exaggerated ; but the poor 

 heather growth in this district may be found to have affected the health of the stock 

 in 1907. 



1907—26 Reports. 



Weather. — An uneventful season. In the early spring the weather was open except in 

 the Highlands of Inverness - shire, where there was a good deal of snow in the late 

 spring (breeding season), normal in the north, wetter in the south ; August wet, September 

 fine ; mild open winter. 



Heather. — In the north reports of heather growth were good, but damage by spring 

 frosts was reported. In some places autumn burning gave better results than spring 

 burning. Further south the heather growth was not so good; in Badenoch the heather 

 was blighted where the drifts lay long ; the bloom was late and poor, and the heather 

 seed did not ripen very well. 



Stocl,-. — At the beginning of the year the stock was above the average in numbers and 

 healthy; but the breeding season was extremely bad, both nesting and hatching, owing to 

 cold and wet. There was much destruction of chicks by floods, a good many second broods 

 and many late broods; from Iloss-shire two nests were reported as having hatched after 

 August 12th. There was little mortality from disease (sixteen birds sent for examination 

 from seven Eeport centres).^ The stock on August 12th was a good average and very 

 healthy; the bags were above the average, in some places abnormally good, especially in 

 Strathnairn and Badenoch. Tiie stock at the end of the season was a good average and 

 healthy. In Badenoch an overstock was left. 



Remarhs. — A bad breeding season followed by a bumper shooting season, this year 

 furnishes an example of how a healthy stock may survive unfavourable weather con- 

 ditions, probably, however, the big stock left from 1906 helped to equalise the losses in 

 the breeding season. The mortality from disease was not appreciably greater in Easter 

 Eoss than in other districts in spite of bad heather growth reported in 1906. The poor 

 heather growth in this year will probably be found to affect the healtli of the stock 

 in 1908, especially when combined with an overstock in Badenoch and Strathnairn. 



1908—2-1 Reports. 



Weather. — In the first three months of the year average winter weather in the 

 north, more snow in the south ; April and May were cold, June and July fine. The 

 shooting season was very fine, dry, and warm. The winter was fine and open with a 

 severe snowstorm in the north at Christmas. 



Heather. — Unanimous reports of exceptionally good heather season : growth good 

 owing to fine summer, little damage by frost, bloom exceptionally luxuriant and early^ 

 seed ripened extremely well and early all over. 



' Vide map, 1907, Appendix I. 



