NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 19 



don), of turning all live stock on the forest, at proper sea- 

 sons, "bidentibus exceptis." 4 The reason, I presume, why 

 sheep 5 are excluded, is, because, being such close grazers, 

 they would pick out all the finest grasses, and hinder the deer 

 from thriving. 



Though (by statute 4 and 5 W. and Mary, c. 23) " to burn 

 on any waste, between Candlemas and Midsummer, any grig, 

 ling, heath and furze, goss or fern, is punishable with whipping 

 and confinement in the house of correction ; " yet, in this forest, 

 about March or April, according to the dryness of the season, 

 such vast heath-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, etc., is consumed, young 

 will sprout up, and afford much tender browse for cattle ; but, 

 where there is large old furze, the fire, following the roots, 

 consumes the very ground ; so that for hundreds of acres noth- 

 ing 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. 6 These conflagrations, as they take place usually with 

 a northeast or east wind, much annoy this village with their 

 smoke, and often alarm the country ; and, once in particular, 

 I 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 sur- 

 prised much with smoke and a hot smell of fire; and concluded 

 that Alresf ord 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 arbors or bowers, made of the boughs of oak ; the 

 one called Waldon Lodge, the other Brimstone Lodge : these 

 the keepers renew annually on the feast of St. Barnabas, tak- 

 ing the old materials for a perquisite. The farm called Black- 

 moor, in this parish, is obliged to find the posts and brush-wood 

 for the former ; while the farms at Greatham, in rotation, fur- 

 nish for the latter; and are all enjoined to cut and deliver the 



