300 NATURE AND WOODCRAFT. 



seize. The alkalies produced by combustion in- 

 vigorate the ground and promote healthy plant- 

 life ; whilst the roots are in nowise injured by 

 burning. No ordinary fence will prevent grey- 

 faced Scotch sheep from clearing it, if they 

 are upon a grazing that has not been burned 

 and adjoining one which has. Both sheep and 

 deer have the means of communicating to each 

 other the presence of good pasturage. It is in 

 evidence before a Select Committee of the House 

 of Commons that all the sheep in a neighbour- 

 hood rushed to the burnt heather-patches ; the 

 animals could not be kept to their own ground. 

 It was also pointed out that if once two or 

 three sheep find the better food, they bring 

 others ; " they all rush to it." 



Even in districts where it is an innovation, 

 the economy of heather-burning is coming to 

 be recognized, and the prejudice against it has 

 now nearly died out. The benefits that follow 

 are known, and both farmers and sportsmen 

 are willing to recognize them ; so much so, in 

 fact, that during a late period of drought, 

 moors which were supposed to have been set on 

 fire by sparks from passing engines are known 

 to have been fired designedly by people who 



