24 BURNING HEATH. 



they would pick out all the finest grasses, and 

 hinder the deer from thriving. 



Though (by statute 4 & 5 W. and Mary, c. 

 23.) " to burn on any waste, between Candlemas 

 and Midsummer, any grig, ling, heath and furze, 

 goss, or fern, is punishable with whipping and 

 confinement in the house of correction ;" yet, in 

 this forest, about March or April, according to 

 the dryness of the season, such vast heath-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 browse for cattle ; but 

 where there is large old furze, the fire, following 

 the roots, consumes the very ground; so that 

 for hundreds 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, 



