TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION K. 499 



rattle with th<=ir dependent population. Deer also damage the valley woods and 

 discourage extension of forestry there. The reason for the extension of deer- 

 forests is a demand for them, and the consequent increase of the landowner's 

 in^come. The value of each stag to the shooting tenant is from 251. to 30^. ; 

 the rent resulting to the landowner is from l.s. to 3s. per acre. For the high 

 summering ground the siuiimer grazing of sheep brings in from one penny to 

 threepence per acre. The following example is instructive :'' — The average 

 aggregate rental of a certain block of deer-forest is 5,300?. ; if this were only 

 utilised as summer pasturage for sheep the rental is estimated at 500?. ; with 

 the addition of rent for grouse and other game it might reach 2,000?. ; the 

 balance in favour of deer is obvious. 



Grouxr-moors. — These centre round the heather (Calluna) and other En'cacecp, 

 &c., the shoots, seeds, and berries of which form the chief food-supply for 

 grouse and allied game. The Cnlhina zone of the Highlands lies below the 

 summit region, and this zone is mostly suitable for sheep-pasturage and forestry, 

 so that grouse-moors are competitive with sheep and timber. There is a large 

 demand for shooting-moors in normal times, and the landowner's income varies 

 from one or two shillings up to even five shillings per acre. This may be 

 doubled if sheep are grazed over the same ground, and if the shooting and 

 grazing are under one control this arrangement works well. With dual control 

 of gamekeeper versus shepherd, the general result is that sheep are discouraged 

 on the more highly rented grouse-moors. Cases could be quoted where the 

 sheep-stock has Jbeen deliberately reduced on the plea of disturbance of game. 

 In practice, and in spite of the recommendations of reports such as those of 

 tlie Grouse Disease Committee, the average keeper tends to maintain his heather 

 in a condition not the best for sheep. 



Pasturage. — A century or more ago, the grazing-stock of the hill districts 

 included more cattle than is now the case. The summer grazing of cattle in the 

 more inaccessible localities was effected by the ' shieling ' system, corresponding 

 to the ' chalet ' or ' Sennhiitte ' system on the Alps, or the ' Saeter ' of Norway. 

 Gradually sheep-pasturage has increased, and now there are extensive areas 

 entirely under sheep, or with a few cattle grazed on the lower slopes. At 

 first the sheep belonged to many small holders who had the right of common 

 pasturage over large areas of hill-grazings. But from various causes the .small 

 lioldings have gradually become grouped under one occupier, so that now the 

 greater part of the hill-grazing consists of large holdings of several thousand 

 acres each. In Scotland the holdings exceeding 300 acres (the largest given 

 in the Returns) numbered in 1914 only 2,600, of which some are lowland arable 

 farms, and of the hill-farms a single owner or tenant often holds more than 

 one. This transition from mixed stock to sheep alone, and from small holdings 

 to large, is probably a natural process of concentration and cheaper working. 

 Along the trail of the movement there has been rural depopulation, accompanied 

 by a shrinkage of the ploughland, and the lack of home-raised young cattle has 

 forced the lowland farmer to find in Ireland the cattle to consume his crops. 



Since sheep-grazing is the greatest and most direct source of food-production 

 on the northern hills, it is natural to suggest increase of the flocks. This, 

 however, is not quite simple. The stock maintained depends chiefly on the 

 available food-supplies during critical periods, during snow or when herbage 

 is adversely affected by cold or drought, e.g. in the spring months. It is a 

 common practice to move part of the flock from the higher .sheep-farms to 

 lowland farms in autumn to be w^intered. The sheep remaining at home utilise 

 the lower ground with grass and heather. During snow they are fed with hay, 

 some of which is grown in. fields on the farm itself, but frequently the fodder 

 has to be brought from the lowlands. Increase of locally produced "hay requires 

 further inclosure and tillage of suitable valley alluvial deposits. In the case 

 of existing enclosed grasslands a considerable increase of hay and grazing 

 is possible by the use of artificial manures. 



Pasturage during the more favourable parts of the year extends over the 

 whole grazing area : that is, up to 3,0(X> feet or more on the better grazing hills 

 of the Highlands. To facilitate shepherding each flock is divided into units 

 (' hirsels ') or still smaller units ('hefts'), and it is important that the grazing 



^ Lovat and Stirling, Afforestation in Scotland, p. 15; Edinburgh, 1911. 



K K 2 



