GROUND, STOCK, AND POACHING 227 



On driving v. shooting over dogs I have already 

 delivered myself in other chapters of this volume, 

 but must again quote Mr. Wilson : ' It is, perhaps, 

 superfluous to remark that to make a moor as pro- 

 ductive as possible shooting over dogs ought to 

 be allowed to a very limited extent, if at all. The 

 candle should not be burnt at both ends' 



A certain number of sheep will do no harm upon a 

 moor, but too many will do a great deal; while cattle 

 and horses will always cause the heather to deteriorate, 

 and a coarse, rank kind of grass to spring up, which 

 is not good for pasture and useless for grouse. Here, 

 again, liberality and a kindly feeling to the shepherds 

 will do more for your stock than anything. They 

 have it in their hands to injure if not to cripple your 

 sport altogether. Their dogs can destroy in an hour 

 in the breeding season what would give you a good 

 day's driving later on. But I have always found them 

 a kindly and simple race of people, and if well treated 

 they will see that their flocks do not trample on the 

 nests or young birds, and that their dogs do not 

 career wildly over the moor during the nesting period. 

 They are really your best and most loyal grouse- 

 keepers if you enlist them on your side; and besides 

 so ordering their work on the hills as not to injure 

 the grouse, they can render immense assistance to 



