DAMAGE CAUSED BY ANIMALS. 83 



particular, is a much more difficult task, which can often only 

 be accomplished with the aid of nature herself. 



a. THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 

 44. Damage done ly Grazing Animals. 



The damage that may be done to woods by the driving in of 

 Horses, Goats, Sheep, and Cattle for grazing purposes, consists in 

 the nibbling of buds, leaves, and young shoots, the gnawing and 

 stripping of bark, the injury of roots from the rough pressure of 

 the hard hoofs and horny feet of heavy animals, the forcible bend- 

 ing back of young growth and stronger plants, the dislodging of 

 soil on slopes, the stamping down of damp and heavy soils, the 

 loosening of light sandy soil, and finally the damage done to 

 drains and protective ditches. 



But these different species of damage vary greatly in extent, 

 according to the class of animal driven in for grazing. 



Of all the above animals goats do most injury, for they appear 

 naturally to enjoy grazing on foliage, buds, and the young shoots 

 of woody fibrous plants, in preference to grass and weeds, even 

 when the latter are mnch more abundant. And as they can 

 reach higli up by standing on their hind-legs, even the crowns of 

 sturdy saplings are not safe from their attacks. The destruction 

 of the forests in many of the mountainous tracts of the Tyrol, 

 Switzerland, Istrya, and Greece, is in no small degree attributable 

 to the unrestricted grazing of herds of goats, which has rendered 

 impossible the natural reproduction of areas that had been cleared 

 of mature crops. 



Although not so frequently driven into the woods for grazing, 

 and generally in less numerous droves, horses disdain the rank 

 grass growing on loose woodland soil, and prefer to crop the short 

 meadow-like grass on sward and along old roads. But at the same 

 time they are very fond of the foliage and the young succulent 

 shoots of saplings, which, on account of their size, they can strip 

 from a considerable height ; young horses also love to gnaw the 

 bark. With their heavy tread, and their iron-shod hoofs, they 

 also do a good deal of damage to the shallow, superficial roots, as 

 well as injury to young seedling growth. 



Although fond of nibbling the grasses on the soil, sheep show a 

 certain relationship with goats in their love of gnawing and 



