'285 
fHierrllanra. 
MR. IIOGG ON THE EFFECTS OF MOLE-CATCHING. 
f Extracted bv permission from the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, 
August 1829.] 
AcouRSEof thirty years' observation over an extensive distnet 
of’the south of Scotland, and hard-earned experience, have con¬ 
vinced me long ago of the pernicious effects of destroying the 
moles on sheep pasture. Indeed, I deprecate the system of ex¬ 
termination with regard to any class of creatures with which the 
all-wise Creator of the universe has seen meet to stock a country. 
It is altogether amazing of what use they are to mankind, when 
their qualities are strictly examined and searched into ; for it is 
not fair to judge from casual appearances, without watching the 
effects. 
For instance, who would not think that rooks are a most de¬ 
structive race? I have often thought so, and I declare have 
sometimes thought I should be ruined by them when I began to 
sow early. But I would ask this simple question, Did any man 
ever see the corn-fields in the vicinity of a rookery thinner or 
fouler than the other fields in the district ? The answer, from a 
minute observer, will be, that at an average for two years out of 
every three, they are better and cleaner, and freer of the grub and 
the wild mustard. In the year 1825, our fields were so com¬ 
pletely over-run with the runch or wild mustard, that, for six 
weeks, there was not a blade of corn to be seen, and every corn 
and barley field was covered as with gold; but, on the Earl of 
Traquair's fields around the rookery, there was scarcely a single 
plant of the noxious weed to be seen. I had no opportunity of 
viewing other fields in the same situation that season, but have 
no doubt they were all alike. 
I shall only mention one more delightful instance of the same 
kind. On the winter and spring following the summer above 
mentioned, this district was inundated with innumerable flocks 
of wild pigeons or wood pigeons, I know not which, perhaps a 
mixture of both. For some time, I paid no regard to them, till 
one morning my maid comes in, and says, “ Master, aw wuss ye 
wud reise out o' yer bed, an' shoot thae cusha doos. Od it's ma 
belief they're gaun wi’ the young clover bodily, an' that they'll 
no leave a stab o't. There's mair nor a hunder thousand on't 
the day." 
This rather alarmed me, so I got several guns loaded, and gave 
all the men orders to shoot at them as soon as they alighted. 
The fun that followed was very amusing. Every workman re¬ 
joices in a job of this sort, as a relaxation, from labour. The 
shepherd left his flock, the thrasher his flail hanging over the 
barn-door, and the ploughman left his plough standing in the 
