2 54 THE LARCH. 



to the trees till they are considerably advanced — that 

 is to say, till all live branches are out of their reach 

 and the bark of the tree well corticated — and even then 

 they often bark the exposed parts of the roots, where 

 the bark is thin and tender. Eabbits are at all 

 times very destructive to young larch plantations, and 

 therefore should either be extirpated, or kept from 

 them by means of wire netting, stone dykes, or other 

 means. It is not only the top leading shoot that is to 

 be protected and kept from harm, but the side branches 

 as well ; and the very lowest tier has equally as much 

 need of being preserved entire as any branch on the 

 whole tree, for it is from the lower branches that the 

 roots are nourished; and this circumstance cannot be too 

 strongly impressed upon every forester, that the roots 

 are supplied with cambium principally from the lower 

 branches. If any one wishes to test the truth of this, 

 he has only to prune a few trees, and observe the 

 difference between their growth and those not pruned, 

 and he will find the growth of the tree supremely 

 favoured by having all its branches on. 



Single trees are best protected by ample cages where 

 the branches come low down, but where the stem is 

 clear at least three or four feet up, some less expensive 

 means of protection may be employed, such as the bark 

 of oak or larch bound round loosely, a faggot of quick- 

 thorn or strong heather, or E. Davidson's composition 

 may be used, if only to prevent hares or rabbits injur- 

 ing them for a season, or during an occasional snow- 

 storm. The size of plantation, situation, age, extent, 



