118 APPENDIX G 



Heather. Young heather grew fairly well ; but in this district it grows very slowly 

 after burning. Several reporters express favourable views on the effect of autumn 

 burning; the bloom was late but good, and the seed ripened well throughout the district. 



Stock, At the beginning of the season the stock was above the average and healthy. 

 The breeding season was reported to be very bad with good nesting but bad hatching 

 weather; much damage reported from snow and frost in May. Owners were in despair 

 at the bad breeding season, and in some cases, especially in Aberdeenshire, even cancelled 

 their arrangements for shooting their ground. Yet on the 12th the stock was universally 

 good and very healthy, and the bags throughout the district were far above the average. 

 Only one case of disease was reported, 1 and at the end of the season the stock was 

 above the average and very healthy. 



Remarks. A first-rate season all round, large stocks, large bags, no sickness, in spite 

 of conditions which were at the time believed to be disastrous. The prospects for 1907 

 are fairly good ; but there is a danger owing to the large stock left. 



190754 Reports. 



Weather. In the early part of the year the weather was normal, with stormy weather 

 on the hills, snow on the east coast and in Perthshire, and some frost. The breed- 

 ing season was generally wet and cold, August was wet, September fine ; the winter was 

 variable and rather open. 



Heather. Over the whole district the heather growth was poor, both young and 

 old ; many reports received of damage by frost, bloom universally late and poor. Seed 

 ripened very badly, and there was little of it; a very bad heather year. 



Stock. At the beginning of the year the stock was above the average and healthy ; 

 but some weak spots developed later, especially in Perthshire. Over eighty birds were 

 received from thirty-five centres, eight from Moray and Banff, fifteen from the Borders 

 of Aberdeen and Kincardine, five from Forfarshire, and forty-two from Perthshire. 2 The 

 breeding season was universally bad owing to wet and cold, especially in Kincardine and 

 Perthshire, where many young were destroyed ; not many second broods except in 

 Perthshire. On the 12th the stock in Moray and Banff was far above the average in 

 numbers, Aberdeen above the average, Kincardine and Forfar not so good, Perth poor, 

 being very patchy with few young birds. The shooting season showed corresponding 

 results, very large bags in Moray and Banff, good bags in Aberdeen and Kincardine, 

 not so good in Perth. The stock at the end of the year was healthy throughout, and 

 the numbers left were above the average in the north and normal in the south. 







Remarks. A very bad breeding season and a very bad heather year ; the former 

 might have been expected to affect the stock of young birds equally throughout 

 1 Title map, 1906, Appendix I. 2 Viile map, 1907, Appendix I. 



