STOCK 447 



this moor, the ground was carrying, roughly, a sheep to 

 4 acres, and this had been the case for many years. 



It is hardly necessary to state that the heather has been 

 burned, and the vermin kept down in the most careful manner, 

 and that the moor in all details has had every attention from 

 a most keen and competent head-keeper. The condition of 

 the moor, however, in all essentials remains the same as it has 

 been for the last fifty years and more. The same head-keeper 

 has had charge of it ; no fresh blood has been introduced. 

 No drainage has been done, and practically no alterations of 

 importance have been made. There has been only one radical 

 innovation. 



Why then the comparative freedom from disease and great 

 increase of stock on this moor ? It can hardly be attributed 

 solely to good fortune. 



The writer can only conclude that the answer is to be 

 found in the above-mentioned radical innovation namely, 

 the peculiar system of driving that has been in vogue here 

 for the last thirty-five years. 



The driving of Grouse was of course first adopted as being 

 the only means of making the birds accessible. It was only 

 experience that demonstrated the vast and unexpected benefit 

 to the health of the birds that followed its adoption. 



In the same way the Broomhead system of driving the birds 

 backwards and forwards over the same set of butts was initiated 

 as a matter of convenience and facility of transport, and with 

 no intelligent anticipation of the results which the writer 

 feels sure have followed, and to which reference will be 

 made. 



The killing-off of the old cocks is usually put forward as 

 the chief reason why a moor benefits from driving. No doubt 

 their destruction is desirable, and equally so in the opinion 

 of many is the destruction of the old hens. But this is not 

 the main factor of improvement. 



The habit of the Grouse left to themselves is to remain 

 close to their early surroundings, and to marry in their own 



