. How many eggs does a hen lay in its lifetime? . What's a hogget? . What is the point of burning heather on moorland? . How does grazing help the environment? . Can Britain be self-sufficient . What is a genetically modified crop? . When is a pig a gilt? . Who owns the forests, the mountains, the wetlands and coastline in Britain? . What is the future for British farming? All these questions and more are tackled by Jill Mason in this new fact-packed, illustrated book. It is an invaluable account of the British countryside today, its livestock, its crops and its wildernesses. AUTHOR: Jill Mason was one of Britain's first women gamekeepers, a job which she enjoyed for over 30 years. She has lived and worked in the countryside all her life and has written for several country and fieldsports magazines. She is the author of several books including The Rabbit, The Hare and The Townies' Guide to the Countryside, Rural England, and Away My Lads, Away and The Ennerdale and Eskdale Hunt. She lives in Norfolk with her husband David Mason, also a retired gamekeeper. David Mason, whose pictures appear throughout her books, is a keen wildlife and countryside photographer whose work has been published in many books, magazines and newspapers. 423 colour photographs