REPORT ON TREES NOT LIABLE TO BE DESTROYED BY RABBITS. 440 



is destroyed, none of the others produce a shoot equally strong 

 that season, nor frequently for several years to come. 



Fourth, The black thorn or sloe is less liable to be eaten than 

 any of the preceding sorts of hedge plants. Babbits are at least 

 less fond of its young shoots than of either the crab-apple or 

 white thorn, neither are they so fond of its bark. The greatest 

 injnry it sustains is to its leaves; its bark, even in frost, suffers 

 little. 



Fifth, The hornbeam suffers most from the loss of its young 

 shoots, especially the terminal ones, which, in the case of small 

 plants, are certain of destruction in winter. Its leaves are less 

 attractive than those of the beech or of the preceding sorts of 

 plants. The hornbeam, like the beech, should be planted when 

 about 3 feet high ; and in planting it to form a hedge, it is well 

 to mix it with privet, of each an equal number. 



Sixth, The Siberian buckthorn is not liable to have either its 

 leaves or its twigs eaten, or its bark peeled. The latter only 

 occurs during severe storms of frost and snow. It is to be re- 

 gretted that this plant is so little cultivated or employed as a 

 hedge plant. It possesses several points of merit for the latter 

 purpose. 



Seventh, The holly is not liable to have its leaves or twigs 

 eaten ; but while its leaves and young shoots escape, it is far 

 otherwise with its bark. The bark of the holly suffers much in 

 severe frosts ; even large trees of it are frequently barked by rab- 

 bits during snow-storms. In planting a holly hedge it is very 

 advisable to mix it with privet ; the latter forms a good protec- 

 tion to the former. In preserving single specimen plants of 

 holly during winter, when so formed as with difficulty to be 

 protected with other means, an application of blood, oil, or milk, 

 mixed with soot, and applied to the lower parts, renders the 

 bark distasteful for a while, but requires frequent renewal, as 

 rain in a short time washes it off. 



Eighth, The berberry is little liable to destruction from rabbits, 

 either in its leaves, shoots, or bark. In summer its leaves are 

 partially eaten, and in winter its bark is occasionally peeled off 

 and eaten ; but it is a plant which, under ordinary circumstances, 

 is seldom much injured by rabbits. 



Ninth, The common privet is very rarely injured by rabbits. 

 In summer it may be seen in hedges of thorn and beech with 

 its twigs and leaves perfect and entire, while the former species 

 are bared of their leaves as high up as the rabbits can reach. 

 In winter, too, when other surrounding plants have their twigs 

 eaten and their wood much barked, the privet all but entirely 

 escapes. After much experience of the privet, the writer can 

 with confidence recommend it as all but safe against the attacks 

 of rabbits. 



