50 Practical Game Preserving. 



the birds. Then commence the planting, using the following 

 trees: oak, ash, beech, silver fir, spruce, Scotch fir, larch, 

 holly, hazel, birch, sycamore, and apportion them according 

 to the locality. There is no doubt whatever that if a tho- 

 roughly protective pheasant covert be required, the resinous 

 trees must occupy the greater portion of it; and the hard- 

 wood and undergrowth trees be provided rather as a relief 

 from the monotony of the others, so as to lend variety to 

 the plantation. There is, probably, no more difficult task 

 than to produce an undergrowth in a wood where none 

 exists ; consequently shrubs, briars, and the like should be 

 carefully encouraged as soon as the trees commence to make 

 headway. It is much easier to cut them out later on than 

 to introduce them. The young trees should not be allowed 

 to grow too thickly, and any which show signs of dying are 

 best cut out at once. 



The improvement of existing coverts is a matter which 

 must always command the attention of the preserver, and 

 in acting with that motive he must bear in mind that three 

 ends are to be kept in view actual improvement of the 

 plantation, the rendering it more adapted to sporting pur- 

 poses, and the offer of greater inducement to pheasants to 

 frequent it, with protection for them when doing so. On 

 the first, we need not say more than that the preserver must 

 consult a work on arboriculture for any information he may 

 require for the improvement in his woods ; but on the second, 

 more may be said, and the chief point of interest is the 

 formation of drives or rides. The non-sporting landlord, in 

 general, has acquired certain peculiar notions with regard to 

 these drives or paths, and if the unhappy preserver happens 



