180 HARDY CONIFEROUS TREES. 



cones of many species are attacked in a wholesale manner for 

 the sake of the young succulent seeds, of which the squirrel is 

 particularly fond. Pimis Pinaster^ P. Pinea, P. silvestris, 

 P. Cembra^ P. excelsa^ P. Strobiis, and P. monticola are most 

 frequently attacked. In 1879 enormous damage was done 

 to larch plantations in the Forest of Dean by squirrels. In 

 many places the surface of the ground was quite covered 

 with the fallen and decaying debris, large branches, and in 

 many instances the whole top of the tree, being broken off. 

 The squirrels peeled off broad rings of the bark round the 

 branch or bole of the tree. The parts of the stem and 

 branches beyond the barked portions were thus killed, and 

 rapidly decaying, soon gave way and were broken off by the 

 wind. During the present season the woods on the estate of 

 Carolside, near Earlston, belonging to Lord Reay, have 

 suffered serious injury from the attacks of the large number 

 of squirrels by which they are infested. It is estimated that 

 damage in this way to the extent of several hundred pounds 

 has been done to the timber on the Carolside estate. The 

 only way of lessening the evil is by reducing the numbers by 

 shooting, and this should only be attempted when the squirrel 

 is on the ground or a distant branch, so that injury to the 

 stem and branches by the leaden shots may be minimised as 

 much as possible. 



Rats, Mice, and Voles. When growing by the pond 

 or stream many species of conifers are damaged by the above- 

 named vermin. We have known the common rat to commit 

 serious damage to the stems of Picea nigra^ Abies nobilis, 

 A. balsamea, Cedriis atlantica, Fitzroya patagonica, Athrotaxis 

 selaginoides, Torreya Calif ornica, and the common larch, by 

 gnawing off the bark quite around the stem from the ground 

 level upwards. By tying small branches placed on end 

 thickly around the stems and smearing these with tar, a stop 

 was put to further depredations. 



The roots of young larch and Scotch pines have in certain 

 cases suffered severely by the vole or water-rat, the bark of 

 the stems just under ground level being also attacked, 



