.16 FOREST PROTECTION 



III. — Hares and Rabbits. The damage done consists in the biting- 

 off of top shoots (notably of oaks, maples, firs, but also of pine); 

 further, in gnawing-off the bark of locust, Crataegus, cherry, hard 

 maple, linden. 



At Biltmore, rabbits feast especially on the shoots of the Buffalo 

 nut (Pyrularia). The seedlings of Pinus echinata, in certain years, 

 were bitten-off in the nurseries. 



Plantations of acorns at Biltmore have been annihilated by the 

 rabbits, the shoots being clipped year after year. Thus the oak 

 seedlings were prevented from successfully competing with the 

 weeds (broom sedge). Nurseries require a fine meshed fence. 

 Remedies lie, above all, in the protection of the fox, 'possum, skunk, 

 marten, weasel, hawk, coon, mynx. 



In addition, sprinkling with coal tar (not on buds!) and wrapping 

 of top shoots in cotton waste is recommended. 

 The planting of rabbit-proof species (notably Picea pungens and 

 Picea Sitchensis) is advisable. 



B. — Protection Against Mammals which do not Form the Object of 

 THE Chase. 



Obviously, all carniverous animals are friends of the forester, whilst 

 most herbivorous animals appear as his enemies. Amongst the plant 

 eaters, the rodents excel in the amount of harm done. 



I. — Squirrels. 



a. — Damage done. 



Squirrels eat the seed on the tree as well as the seed planted 

 by nature and man, preferring sweet oaks, beech, chestnut, 

 walnut, cucumber-tree, hickories, pines. They eat the coty- 

 ledons, buds and cambium of yoimg shoots and destroy the 

 nest brood of some useful birds. In the Pink Beds, the top 

 shoots of white pine are cut off by the squirrels. Plantations 

 of the heavy seeded broad leaved species have been destroyed 

 at Biltmore repeatedly. 



b. — Protective measures. 



Protect the fox, marten, skunk, coon, o'possum, hawk, owl, 



cat (wild and tame) and all other enemies. 



Remove hollow trees forming the hiding and nesting places 



of the squirrel. 



Plant seedlings or, possibly, nuts after sprouting, and if seeds 



must be planted, resort to spring-planting of the same, 



c. — Remedial measures. 

 1— Shoot the squirrel. 



2 — Poison it by bathing the seeds in strychnine before plant- 

 ing, a means found ineffective at Biltmore. 



II. — Chipmunk. Similar damage and same remedies as for the squirrel. 

 Its main enemy at Biltmore is the black snake and the rattlesnake. 



