It shall be unlawful for any person to burn or otherwise destroy, during the period commencing on the fifteenth day of[F2 April] in any year and ending with[F2 the thirty-first day of August] next following, any gorse, furze, whin, heath, ling or fern growing on any mountain, moor, heath, bog or other uncultivated land; and any person who acts in contravention of this section shall be guilty of an offence under this Act:
Provided that it shall be good defence for a person charged with an offence by virtue of this section to prove that the burning or destruction in respect of which he is so charged was carried out in the ordinary course of farming in accordance with the rules of good husbandry.]