22 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



fires are lighted up, that they often get to a masterless head, and, 

 catching the hedges, have sometimes been communicated to the 

 underwoods, woods, and coppices, where great damage has ensued. 

 The plea for these burnings is, that, when the old coat of heath, 

 &c., is consumed, young will sprout up, and afford much tender 

 brouze for cattle ; but, where there is large old furze, the fire, 

 following the roots, consumes the very ground ; so that for hun- 

 dreds of acres nothing is to be seen but smother and desolation, the 

 whole circuit round looking like the cinders of a volcano ; and, the 

 soil being quite exhausted, no traces of vegetation are to be found 

 for years. These conflagrations, as they take place usually with a 

 north-east or east wind, much annoy this village with their smoke, 

 and often alarm the country ; and, once in particular, I remember 

 that a gentleman, who lives beyond Andover, coming to my house, 

 when he got on the downs between that town and Winchester, at 

 twenty-five miles distance, was surprised much with smoke and a 

 hot smell of fire ; and concluded that Alresford was in flames ; but, 

 when he came to that town, he then had apprehensions for the next 

 village, and so on to the end of his journey. 



On two of the most conspicuous eminences of this forest stand 

 two arbours or bowers, made of the boughs of oaks ; the one called 

 Waldon Lodge, the other Brimstone Lodge : these the keepers 

 renew annually on the feast of St. Barnabas, taking the old materials 

 for a perquisite. The farm called Blackmoor, in this parish, is 

 obliged to find the posts and brush-wood for the former ; while the 

 farms at Greatham, in rotation, furnish for the latter ; and are all 

 enjoined to cut and deliver the materials at the spot. This custom 

 I mention, because I look upon it to be of very remote antiquity. 



