Pheasants Coverts. 



49 



water at intervals. If there be a spring anywhere near the 

 highest point, it can be utilised by being held back in dead 

 level leats, cut through the covert. When planting two 

 descriptions of trees must be put in, one to form the wood, 

 the other to provide a cover in the shape of undergrowth. 

 Of the former, the bulk must consist of thick growing trees, 

 to provide, not only shelter for the birds from cold or wet, 

 but roosting places, and protection from the eye of the 

 night poacher. It has come to be recognised of late that 

 although larch is a quick growing, hardy, useful tree in the 

 formation of pheasant coverts, it is not altogether an un- 

 mixed good, as, consequent on its particular form of growth, 

 it not only provides a most enticing roost for the birds, but 

 one which renders them very conspicuous objects on a 

 moonlight night and as easily discernible by the poacher 

 as in day time, and it is the night poacher who deprives 

 the preserver most quickly of his birds. There are so many 

 ways of obtaining them besides the dangerous one as far as 

 discovery is concerned of shooting the birds as they roost, 

 that it is very desirable they be as little exposed as possible. 

 We should therefore taboo the larch when laying out new 

 plantations, or at least combine larch and other similar 

 trees with those of thick dark foliage, that the one may 

 form a protection to the other. 



A preliminary, prior to planting out your land, is to 

 render it somewhat uneven in its surface, such irregularity 

 possessing many desirable attributes. This is best effected 

 by ploughing the land into sharp furrows. The next 

 step is to sow it over with various kinds of bramble, 

 berry, and the like, to provide ground cover and food for 



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