REPORT ON TREES NOT LIABLE TO BE DESTROYED BY RABBITS. 453 



eating deciduous trees and shrubs and some evergreens (not coni- 

 ferse), he concludes this part of the subject by drawing it within a 

 narrow compass, and, by way of showing clearly what is truly 

 practical, he will repeat the names of those plants which he 

 believes may be planted with considerable safety under a full 

 stock of rabbits : — ls^, As hedge plants are the elder, the privet, 

 and box; 2d, Shrubs — The spurge laurel, rhododendron, arborvitre, 

 butcher's broom, ivy, honeysuckle, and periwinkle ; 3d, Orna- 

 mental trees — The evergreen, oak, and walnut ; 4th, Forest trees 

 — The sycamore, Abele, and aspen poplar. 



Though the above may all be regarded as plants which rabbits 

 will not eat or injure, yet, when severe and protracted storms 

 occur, and rabbits are famishing for want, none of them are en- 

 tirely safe, not even when of large size. 



There are certain varieties of the same species of plants more 

 liable to be eaten than others. We often observe a few plants 

 selected for eating from amongst others ; whence the preference 

 we cannot tell. The way in which plants are made choice of for 

 eating has given rise to division of opinion as to the species 

 which they prefer, and it is only through wide and extensive 

 observation that a just conclusion is arrived at. 



Conifer cc. 



Having given an account of deciduous trees, shrubs, and a few 

 others, I shall next make a few statements upon the pine and fir 

 class, beginning with the more common sorts and ending with 

 the rarer conifer*. 



Scots Pine, — I have carefully and minutely examined the 

 effects of rabbits upon this tree — 1st, Because of the many oppor- 

 tunities of doing so ; and, 2d, Because of its immense import- 

 ance as a timber tree. There are two circumstances under which 

 this tree is injuriously eaten — 1st, When planted into ground 

 where the surface is broken, or rendered bare of herbage ; and, 2d, 

 When planted amongst whins, broom, or rank heath, which is 

 cleared away from the trees a few years subsequent to planting, 

 thus exposing the stem, which never fails of being peeled. 



Larch. — There is no way known to the writer in which larch 

 can be grown with safety where rabbits are numerous. The most 

 successful way is that recommended at page 447- 



Norway Spruce. — This is a tree that may be grown with greater 

 success under a large head of rabbits than either larch or Scots 

 pine. It possesses the following advantages : — 1st, It grows well 

 on damp rough ground, which rabbits do not usually frequent, 

 hence is less liable to be destroyed ; and, 2d, Babbits are by no 

 means partial to eating or barking it. 



The silver fir, though a noble and fast-growing tree after the 

 first few years, is very liable to destruction from rabbits. They are 



