1884.] EDITORS BOX. 383 



omitted, and instead tabulated an imaginary list of trees and shrubs 

 to catch the eye and show his erudition, without considering their 

 timber-producing qualities on a practical £ s. d. principle. 



Tipjperary. D. Sym Scott. 



PROTECTING TREES FROM GOATS. 



Sir, — As your correspondent * Tar ' appeals to those interested 

 in trees, I venture to give him my experience in the matter. 



I found it impossible to protect trees from the ravages of goats by 

 the application of any substance known to me, because they ate 

 every green thing not actually smeared with the material. They 

 would stand on their hind legs and reach up to the small branches 

 of nearly all young trees and shrubs requiring protection. 

 Sprinkling with coarse paraffine had the best effect, as it could be 

 applied to the foliage and would spread over the branches and stems, 

 while the quantity of tar or tarry material would kill the plant right 

 off. I found that tar and tarry substances, as well as animal fat, 

 had a detrimental effect on all young plants ; they remained sickly 

 and stunted for years, and a high death-rate followed, but if applied 

 to the lower part of the boles of park trees it did not appear to have 

 any detrimental effect. 



Six years ago I discontinued the use of tar and applied parafi&ne 

 with the best of results. I found that no hare or rabbit nor roe 

 deer would touch plants of any description dressed with paraffine. 

 No deaths or unsightly appearance. The use of the paraffine was so 

 satisfactory that I began to use it for dressing all seeds with it before 

 sowing. I now dress the wheat with it before sowing, instead of 

 sulphate of copper, and the other substances more or less used for 

 the purpose. No grub, wire-worm, crows or pigeons will touch it, 

 and if used|in the gardens and nursery the birds, mice, and slugs will 

 cease to molest. When the braird is attacked by pigeons, &c., a 

 little paraffine sprinkled stops them and every other creature (goats 

 excepted), from eating anything to which it is applied. 



Paraffine is an excellent manure, especially when mixed with soot, 

 lime and ashes of any sort: it is preferable to the so-called Peruvian 

 guano, and at one-third the cost of the latter. 



So that instead of the application of paraffine being injurious to 

 plant life it is quite harmless, and in most cases a stimulant. 



The best preventive for the goat's destructive inclination is to 

 smear the plants with human excrement, but this is highly objection- 

 able and expensive ; the only safe plan is to shut them out. 



D. F. Mackenzie. 



Merton Hall, Edinhurglu 



