THE PROTECTION OF SEEDING AND PLANTING SITES 181 



cessful. Direct seeding should seldom be undertaken on badly 

 infested sites. Planting is more successful and less expensive 

 when measured by the results obtained. 



3. PROTECTING THE SITE FROM PLANT-EATING ANIMALS 



After germination has been attained from direct seeding and 

 after planting, the young plants are likely to be killed or severely 

 injured by various animals, if they are not destroyed or excluded 

 from the area. The protection should be initiated before the 

 regeneration starts. As a rule, small animals must be destroyed; 

 larger animals can be guarded against by fencing. Grazing ani- 

 mals should be excluded from all sites as soon as regeneration 

 is begun, or else the number should be reduced to such a degree 

 that the damage to the young trees is negligible. Game should 

 also be under control. The amount of grazing that it is safe to 

 permit depends upon the species and the quality of the site. 

 Most conifers are more resistant to damage from browsing than 

 broadleaved species. All species suffer more from being trampled 

 by stock on poor sites where the soil is hard and compact than 

 on good sites. 



Wood rats sometimes cause considerable damage to young 

 plantations and transplant beds in some localities in the Rocky 

 Mountain and Pacific coast regions by cutting off the young 

 trees and taking them to their large nests. In the investigations 

 made by the Biological Survey effective results were obtained by 

 dusting various baits with finely powdered strychnine. The rats 

 are killed by the poison coming off in their mouths while carrying 

 the bait to their nests. Raisins and whole corn when poisoned 

 proved useful baits. 



The exclusion of rabbits, which often do great harm, is a more 

 difficult problem. Fencing is often practiced in Europe and is 

 the most effective method of overcoming injury from them. 

 Trapping is expensive, and the results are often of little permanent 

 value. Cunningham 1 recommends the following as a simple and 

 effective trap: Barrels are placed in the ground level with the sur- 

 face at advantageous points. The top is so arranged that it 

 swings freely on a rod placed crosswise over the opening. Bait is 



1 Cunningham, J. C.: Protecting trees from rabbits. (Kansas Agr. 

 Exp. Sta., Cir. 17. 1911.) 



