REPORT ON TREES NOT LIABLE TO BE DESTROYED BY RABBITS. 455 



and hungry, almost preferring to die rather than eat certain of 

 the plants given them. He found that the same species of 

 plants which the wild rabbits preferred were also preferred by 

 the tame ones, and the plants chosen or rejected by both were 

 alike. 



The following is a summary of all the observations and experi- 

 ments made, showing their practical results : — 



First, I find that amongst hard-woods, which suffer little by 

 rabbits during frost and snow-storm, and may be regarded as 

 safe, are the sycamore, scarlet oak, and evergreen oak. 



Second, Conifene. I find almost no practical difference amongst 

 the following sorts in point of liability to destruction. I give 

 them in the order in which I find them least liable to be injured. 

 1st, The black American spruce ; 2d, The white American 

 spruce; 3d, The Norway spruce; 4th, Abies SmitJiiana ; 5th, 

 Abies J/rnzicsii; 6th, Picca cephalonica ; 7th, Pinus Pinsapo ; 

 8th, Pinus Laricio ; 9th, Pinus ponderoso. 



Third, Hedge plants :— 1st, The common privet ; 2d, The elder ; 

 3(7, The box ; and, 4th, The hornbeam. 



Fourth, Evergreen shrubs : — 1st, Spurge laurel ; 2d, The rho- 

 dodendron ; 3d, The butcher's broom ; 4th, The periwinkle ; and 

 5th, The ivy of sorts. To these may be added the spiraea, honey- 

 suckle, and azalea. 



Fifth, The arborvitses (Chinese and American) are seldom 

 nipped, and probably never eaten. The Irish juniper is also ob- 

 noxious to them; and they rarely injure either the common 

 juniper or the yew. 



Remarks. 



1. Either very large or very small plants should be planted 

 amongst rabbits. 



2. The ground should be prepared by means of the borebill, 

 and not by trenching or pitting, which attract the rabbits. 



3. Extensive groups, which cannot practically be protected 

 with iron cages, should have their stems anointed during winter 

 with blood, grease and soot, or soap, so as to prove offensive. 



4. The leaves of all evergreens are either utterly despised or 

 less relished than those of deciduous trees, &c. 



5. There is no plant with which the writer is acquainted but 

 rabbits will eat, when sufficiently hungry, even though they die 

 from eating it, which they frequently do. 



6. Save the white thorn, crab-apple, laburnum, and a few 

 others, plants do not suffer during summer ; but as winter ap- 

 proaches, and before it sets in, all plants liable to destruction 

 should be protected. 



7. Districts much infested with rabbits should be planted 

 closely together, and as large an area at one time as possible. 



