Fencing for woodland 145 



other ways. The danger of wire fencing round pasture 

 fields is evident, and its ugliness appalling in the fore- 

 ground of fair landscapes. Live fences do away with 

 the need of it in either case, but as there are miles of it 

 in most districts to be got rid of, the best use for it is 

 the protection of young plantations in woods. Most 

 of our country is so infested with ground game that 

 planting is impossible unless we protect the little trees. 

 It is bad enough to lose Scotch Fir, Larch, and the 

 commoner trees, after having had the trouble and cost 

 of planting them, but when it is a question of the rarer 

 trees, often difficult to procure, then we ought to pro- 

 tect thoroughly until they are large enough to take care 

 of themselves. For common trees we may do what is 

 needed with wire only, but there is the danger that with 

 heavy snow it may be jumped by rabbits, or broken 

 down by stock, gamekeepers, and others, and so fail us 

 at a critical time. In choice planting the best way is to 

 surround our plantations with spare iron fencing, and 

 then wire. The most difficult spots to plant are patches 

 in old woods, often of underwood which has ceased to 

 be of any use. Planting choice little trees in such 

 woods is out of the question, so I have fenced with iron 

 an acre of such woodland which had nothing left in it 

 but stubs and a few Birch and other trees of little value. 

 The iron fence is wired 3^ feet high, and within is a 

 plantation of the Western Hemlock Spruce (Abies 

 Mertensiana) and with it a sprinkling of Japanese Larch. 

 This iron fencing is so placed as to be hardly visible 

 from the rides near, and it is always safe against animals 

 and other interlopers. 



