SOCIAL AND ECONOMICAL ASPECTS 183 



of the inquiry narrate the 'principal objections against 

 deer forests ' as follows : 



1. That they have been created to a great extent 

 by the eviction or removal of the inhabitants, and have 

 been the cause of depopulation. 



2. That land now cleared for deer might be made 

 available for profitable occupation by crofters. 



3. That it might, at all events, be occupied by 

 sheep-farmers, and that a great loss of mutton and 

 wool to the nation might thus be avoided. 



4. That in some places where deer forests are con- 

 tiguous to arable land in the occupation of crofters 

 damage is done to the crops of the latter by the deer. 



5. That deer deteriorate the pasture. 



6. That the temporary employment of gillies and 

 others in connection with deer forests has a demoral- 

 ising effect. 



On these six points it is here unnecessary to refer 

 to the report, except as to the first three. No. 4 is 

 admitted. Measures should, of course, be adopted to 

 protect crops against the incursions of deer. The vast 

 majority of deer forests are not situated where there 

 are any crops to destroy. Game of all kinds, including 

 roe, hares, rabbits, grouse, blackgame, and pheasants, 

 are more or less injurious to crops ; but it is not sug- 

 gested that, because a Norfolk farmer has his corn 



