. GROUSE SHOOTING (PART ///), ' DRIVING' 307 



HEATHER BURNING 



It is important a driving moor should have been 

 annually and extensively burnt, so that a continual 

 supply of young heather may be always coming up in 

 xnrri'ssice growths (heather takes seven or eight years 

 to reach maturity). If a moor is walked with pointers 

 and setters, it is necessary to burn it in numerous 

 small patches, and in such a way that as the young 

 lu ather grows and affords food to the grouse it has 

 older and thicker heather adjoining it, to which the 

 birds can resort when disturbed, and thus be at hand 

 for the shooter to find them for his gun. 



On a driving moor this arrangement need not 

 be considered, as all you require is plenty of young 

 heather for the grouse to feed on, and plenty of 

 healthy, well-foliaged heather in a dry situation for 

 them to nest in.* 



Very old. thin, tall heather, with bare tree-like 

 stalks, is good for neither one purpose nor the other, 

 and should year after year be gradually exterminated 

 by burning, so that a young growth may ever be re- 

 placing it. Remember, a good driving moor has to 

 support a very large stock of grouse, and that the birds 

 will tint remain healthy without an ample supply of food 

 young heather), and that, when in poor condition 

 from a want of such food, they are liable to disease. 



* W.- also require a good supply of thick heather on a moor to 

 shelter the birds and their eggs from snow and frost. 



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