134 THE GROUSE 



culminating in an overstock and conse- 

 quent shortage of food. It is here that 

 the supreme value and importance of care- 

 ful standardised management of the moor, 

 especially of its heather (though hitherto 

 scientifically managed moors have been in 

 the minority), proves the rule. It has 

 been sufficiently demonstrated upon these 

 highly equipped and organised moors, that 

 the best chance of averting grouse disease 

 comes from scrupulous and unremitting 

 care in providing ample, wholesome food, 

 under the best hygienic conditions. Where 

 this has been systematically attended to 

 it is marvellous how seldom and how 

 lightly in the last thirty years or thereby 

 disease has been felt. Once more, for it 

 cannot be too often insisted upon, let it 

 be stated that the chief counts of success- 

 ful grouse management are judicious 

 heather burning, elimination of profitless 

 and uninteresting vermin, judicious shoot- 

 ing, no over-severity either of dogging or 

 driving. Good work in shooting, with 

 knowledge of the stock ; no overshooting 



