176 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



often used for poultry netting. For cottontail rabbits 

 rolls 18 inches wide are recommended, but as a protec- 

 tion against jack rabbits wider material is safer. The 

 wire is cut into 1-foot lengths, and one of these sec- 

 tions is rolled into shape about the trunk of each tree, 

 the ends being brought together and fastened at sev- 

 eral places by means of the wire ends. No other 

 fastening is needed. The wire is not in contact with 

 the trunk and may be left on the tree permanently. 

 It will probably last as long as the tree requires pro- 

 tection, and the cost of material need not be over 1% 

 cents for each tree. For young evergreens, material 

 of the same kind 1 foot wide and cut in li/2-foot 

 lengths will give excellent protection. 



"If trees are to be protected from both rabbits and 

 mice, materials of closer mesh must be used. Wire 

 window-screen netting is excellent for the purpose, 

 and the cost, when permanence of protection is con- 

 sidered, is not great. 



11 Veneer and other forms of wood protectors are 

 popular and have several advantages. When left 

 permanently upon the trees, however, they furnish 

 retreats for insect pests. For this reason they should 

 be removed each spring and laid away until cold 

 weather. While the labor of removing and replacing 

 them is considerable, they have the advantage, when 

 pressed well into the soil, of protecting from both 

 mice and rabbits. They cost from 60 cents per hun- 

 dred upward, and are much superior to building 

 paper or newspaper wrappings. The writer has 

 known instances where rabbits tore wrappings of 



