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Heather Burning. 



[OCT., 



of heather following autumn and spring burning is identical. 

 On the more northern moors the heather is probably slightly 

 slower in reaching maturity after autumn burning, especially 

 on shallow peat or hard ground. 



At least 75 per cent, of the larger moors examined by the 

 Committee proved to be insufficiently burned, and they con- 

 sider that in many cases an extension of the burning period 

 would enable a larger stock of both sheep and grouse to be 

 maintained. In view of the fact that autumn-burning is neces- 

 sary in the interests of the health of the grouse and sheep, 

 they suggest that a Bill making it permissible in Scotland 

 to burn after October ist should be introduced into Parlia- 

 ment without delay. 



Opinions of Sheep-farmers on Heather-burning. — With a 

 view to ascertaining the opinions of sheep-farmers on the 

 subject of heather-burning, a meeting was arranged between 

 representatives of the Committee and a number of sheep- 

 farmers from different districts. The views expressed clearly 

 indicated that in the opinion of sheep-farmers there is not 

 enough heather burned for either grouse or sheep on the 

 majority of moors in England and Scotland, and that there 

 is a general wish on the part of sheep-farmers on heather 

 ground that more heather should be burned. The farmers 

 further stated that they would be glad to try autumn burning 

 in co-operation with owners, and that they would probably 

 give more assistance in the autumn than in the spring, because 

 in the spring they are usually busy with sheep that have 

 returned from wintering, and with the superintendence of their 

 stock during the lambing season. They considered that it 

 matters little whether autumn-burned heather grows as well 

 as spring-burned heather, the great object being to get rid of 

 the large tracts of old useless heather which are of no value 

 either for grouse or sheep. 



It was also pointed out that where heather is allowed to 

 grow too old, there is a 'danger of its place being taken by 

 bracken after burning, whereas if the heather is burned young 

 the fresh growth has more vitality, and usually defeats the 

 bracken. 



