

THE FOEMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF GAME COVERTS. 



thing but pleasant quarters for game. For ornamental 

 -effect along the outskirts of plantations, the rhododendron 

 is invaluable, and is by .no means so fastidious about soil as 

 is generally supposed, peat being not at all an essential to 

 its growth and successful cultivation. Few plants can be 

 made to increase in like proportion with the rhododendron, 

 and for this reason it should be planted in small patches ; 

 and when it is desirable to increase the cover, the outer 

 branches may be pegged down or layered. This plant 

 also bears pruning with impunity, so that old plants that 

 have, through neglect, become lank and straggling, may 

 without fear or risk be layered or pruned in with advantage. 



The Common Yew and Holly cannot be too extensively 

 used in the formation of game coverts, both being unrivalled 

 for beauty and hardiness. They thrive in a great variety of 

 soils, and beneath the densest shade of our woodland trees. 

 In planting the yew it is well, however, to bear in mind 

 that it is highly deleterious to stock that may browse upon 

 its branches, and for this reason should never be planted 

 along the outskirts of a wood, or in any position to which 

 they have access. 



The St. John's Wort, as a low-spreading shrub, is unsur- 

 passed, and thrives best in a light sandy or peaty soil. It 

 is readily propagated by division of the roots ; and when 

 planted out in small patches a foot or two apart, the creeping 

 stems soon cover a considerable surface of ground, and form 

 a dense evergreen mass, covered in summer with bright 

 golden flowers. 



Gaultheria Shallon, another plant of creeping habit, is, 

 notwithstanding its many good qualities, seldom planted to 

 any extent in our woodlands ; but this may, to some extent at 

 least, be accounted for by the high price of the plants, as well 

 as the small size of those purchaseable from our nurserymen. 

 Like most other North American plants, the Gaultheria 

 prefers a rather damp, peaty soil, and is one of the few 

 shrubs found to thrive in pine plantations. The berries, 

 which are borne in great abundance, are greedily devoured 

 by pheasants, and in their native country are not imfre- 



.quently used as food. 



105 



