WILD PIGS. Ill 



Smearing dnng, petroleum, or asafoetida on cultivations is 

 useful. 



Young coniferous cultivations may be tarred, as for red-deer, 

 but with deep snow it is better to lime them. The cost of 

 tarring is 5^/. to 8^^/. per 1,000 plants, at a daily wage of Id. 

 to 9(/., and tar at Is. 9d. per cwt. 



To protect exotics (Douglas-fir, etc.), saplings may be 

 encircled at about H feet from the ground with a piece of 

 paper as broad as the hand, fastened with string, or they may 

 be surrounded with thorns, or by three jagged stakes. 



Section V. — Wild Pigs. 

 1. Damage Done. 



The wild pig does damage similar to that done by the tame 

 pig, which has been already described, besides pulling-up 

 fresh transjdants, and destroying mound-planting, and birds'- 

 nests. As regards sport, it does much harm by killing fawns, 

 leverets, etc. 



Of late, in the Lower Ehine districts and also in the Ardennes, 

 pigs have so largely increased in the forests, and do so much 

 damage to the agricultural crops, that it has become neces- 

 sary to hold battues, and fix a price for their destruction. 

 From a forest point of view, however, wild pigs do much less 

 damage than other game. 



They may, however, do a considerable amount of good by 

 breaking-up the soil, burying fruits and seeds and by the 

 destruction of mice and hurtful insects. 



2. Protective Rules. 



Feeding with turnips, potatoes, oats, peas, acorns, wild 

 fruit, etc., so as to keep the pigs from injuring forest plants. 



Fences against pigs should be about 6 feet higli and strongly 

 built. Wild pigs travel considerable distances by night, and 

 in France have been found to abandon forests where there is 

 much wire-netting. 



