JULY 275 



willows, for two years of drought coming after they had been set 

 caused most of them on the dry marsh to die. Some of those on 

 the low marsh, however, and all that were planted by the river 

 edge, thrived admirably. Only a week or two ago I noticed the 

 beautiful heads which they were making, several of them about 

 five feet through. 



This morning I went to see what progress was being made 

 with the cutting of the low marsh, and on my way stopped 

 to look at the young cattle and in-calf heifers that are run- 

 ning on No 1 8, through which one must pass to reach No. 19. 

 All of them, looking very sleek and comfortable, were gathered 

 by the bank of the river, but as I approached to examine 

 them I noticed that the stems of the young willows had unac- 

 countably turned white. In another minute I discovered the 

 truth. These destructive animals had stripped them of every 

 inch of bark ; had stripped them from the branches to the 

 ground. Close as the strands of wire were set, heedless of 

 pricks and cuts, they had thrust their heads between them, and 

 by patience and perseverance had contrived to peel off every 

 fragment of the sweet and succulent bark. I can scarcely describe 

 what I felt when I understood that the care of years had thus 

 been brought to nothing, for though the trees still looked green 

 and vigorous, I knew well that they must die. Returning home, 

 I reproached Hood with some warmth for not having informed 

 me of what was going on, and for his neglect in not taking steps to 

 stop it, only to discover that my wrath, if natural, was unjust. It 

 seems that so lately as the previous day the trees were quite 

 uninjured. Then, as ill luck would have it, some inquisitive 

 beast contrived to get a taste of one of them, and to communi- 

 cate his delight to the others. In twenty-four hours they had 

 destroyed every willow. 



The truth is that unless great expense is incurred to fence each 

 tree in such an impregnable fashion that nothing by any possi- 

 bility can reach or force its way to it, it is absolutely useless to 

 plant where any animals are turned out to graze* since, through 



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