NATURAL HISLORY OF SELBORNE. 
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fires are lighted up, that they often get to a masterless head, and, 
catching the hedges, have sometimes been communicated to the 
underwoods, woods, and coppices, where great damage has ensued. 
The plea for these burnings is, that, when the old coat of heath, 
&c., is consumed, young will sprout up, and afford much tender 
brouze for cattle; but, where there is large old furze, the fire, 
following the roots, consumes the very ground ; so that for hun- 
dreds of acres nothing is to be seen but smother and desolation, the 
whole circuit round looking like the cinders of a volcano ; and, the 
soil being quite exhausted, no traces of vegetation are to be found 
for years. These conflagrations, as they take place usually with a 
north-east or east wind, much annoy this village with their smoke, 
and often alarm the country ; and, once in particular, | remember 
that a gentleman, who lives beyond Andover, coming to my house, 
when he got on the downs between that town and Winchester, at 
twenty-five miles distance, was surprised much with smoke and a 
hot smell of fire ; and concluded that Alresford was in flames ; but, 
when he came to that town, he then had apprehensions for the next 
village, and so on to the end of his journey. 
On two of the most conspicuous eminences of this forest stand 
two arbours or bowers, made of the boughs of oaks; the one called 
Waldon Lodge, the other Brimstone Lodge: these the keepers 
renew annually on the feast of St. Barnabas, taking the old materials 
for a perquisite. The farm called Blackmoor, in this parish, is 
obliged to find the posts and brush-wood for the former ; while the 
farms at Greatham, in rotation, furnish for the latter ; and are all 
enjoined to cut and deliver the materials at the spot. This custom 
I mention, because I look upon it to be of very remote antiquity. 
