xviii INTRODUCTION 



of Sutherland alone over 100,000 acres were apportioned among 

 an industrious class of agricultural tenants with a view to being 

 brought under cultivation ; but the experiment was a failure, 

 and the land gradually reverted to its former state. 



The best Grouse ground, that is ground that grows nothing 

 but heather, is always of a poor peaty nature, and is incapable 

 of growing crops to advantage. In this respect it differs from 

 the green land where the soil is rich enough to grow grass and 

 bracken ; this green land is of little value for Grouse, but might 

 with advantage be planted with trees or even crops. It is 

 probably true to say that in the selection of waste land for 

 cultivation good Grouse ground is the last that would be chosen 

 by practical agriculturalists. 



The value of Grouse Shootings to the proprietor is repre- 

 sented by the shooting rents which they produce after deduc- 

 tion of the expenses of management. Grouse rents have been 

 steadily rising for many years past, and at present show no 

 signs of falling off. This is scarcely to be wondered at when we 

 take into account the limited number of Grouse moors available 

 to meet the increasing demand. The popularity of this form 

 of sport has indeed increased so much that it is now extremely 

 (1 ifil cult to secure a first-class Grouse moor on any terms, and 

 even the smaller shootings seldom remain unlet. As might be 

 expected, rents have tended to rise. Not many years ago 1 per 

 brace was regarded as the normal rent to pay for a Grouse 

 moor, now this rate is practically doubled in the more favoured 

 districts. 



While it is clear from the foregoing remarks that the owner- 

 ship of Grouse moors may be profitable to the proprietor, it is 

 not the owners alone who benefit from this important source of 

 revenue. 



It has been estimated that the approximate value of the 

 Grouse moors in Scotland is about 1,000,000 a year in gross 

 rent, and in England not less than 270,000. It has been further 



