360 THE GROUSE IN HEALTH AND IN DISEASE 



burned heather, the great object being to get rid of the large 

 tracts of old useless heather which are of no value either for 

 Grouse or sheep. They confirmed the view of the Committee 

 that high ground with a northern exposure can only be burned 

 in the spring in very exceptional years. 



The sheep-farmers further drew attention to the following 

 points : 



(1) That where heather is allowed to grow too old, there 



is a danger of its place being taken by bracken after 

 burning, whereas if the heather is burned young the 

 fresh growth has more vitality and usually defeats 

 the bracken. 



(2) That old heather is undesirable because after burning 



many " burrens " or bare sticks are left which tear 

 the wool off the sheep's bellies. 



(3) That sheep-farmers prefer the heather to be burned in 



large patches, because otherwise a large enough area is 



not burned each year ; but that they have no objection 



to burning in small patches and strips provided the 



total area burned reaches the full proportion proper 



to the moor. This proportion was estimated at from 



one-ninth to one-twelfth of the total acreage. 



On the actual methods of carrying out the burning there is 



not much to be said. The gear is simple ; a birch broom and 



a paraffin firing lamp. 1 The necessary party of six or eight 



men under a keeper can work in pairs on a calm day with a 



fairly dry moor, the keeper starting the fire, the couples guiding 



its course, extinguishing and controlling it as occasion demands. 



In windy weather, or when the heather gets dry, the whole 



party have to act together, and in consequence, though the 



individual burning may be done at a quicker rate, a smaller 



total area will be got through in a day. As a health-giving 



exercise heather-burning has much to commend it ; it is 



particularly hard work and trying to clothes, temper, and 



especially to the eyes. 



1 Special lamps are sold for the purpose. 



