DAMAGE CAUSED BY ANIMALS. 85 



are determinable not only by the kind of animal grazed, but also by 

 many other circumstances, such as species of tree, nature of the 

 woodland crop, and of the soil and situation on which it grows, 

 also the method of treatment accorded to the crop, - as well as the 

 number of the animals forming the herds, and the time and 

 manner of their being driven into the wood. 



Every species of tree is not equally readily attacked by the 

 grazing herds, and the extent of the actual damage done also 

 varies with the kind of tree that has been damaged. 



All kinds of grazing animals almost always prefer the broad- 

 leaved species to conifers, and only attack the latter when the 

 former are wanting. But on the other hand, injuries inflicted on 

 conifers are more serious than on broad-leaved species, because they 

 are not endowed with the strong recuperative power of the latter 

 in repairing the damage done, though at the same time, the extent 

 to which conifers are endowed in this respect varies very consider- 

 ably with the species. Scots pine, that has been badly bitten 

 during its early period of development, usually remains more or 

 less crippled and damaged in growth, whilst the Silver Fir is 

 endowed with a very great amount of recuperative capacity. The 

 shallow-rooting Spruce is most exposed to danger from the tread 

 of the animals grazed, whilst deep-rooting species are little apt to 

 be damaged. 



Leaves, buds, and young shoots of Beech, Hornbeam, Ash, Elm, 



I Oak, Maple, and Sycamore are particularly toothsome to grazing 



; herds, whilst those of Aspen, Willows, and Lime are less cared for, 



land those of Alders and Birch only exceptionally partaken of. 



Among the conifers, of which only the young succulent shoots 



land leaves are eaten, the Silver Fir, and then the Spruce and 



I Larch, are the first to be attacked, whilst Scots Pine has generally 



! least to suffer. The taste of the herds, however, varies according 



(to their species and habits of feeding. Horses and sheep prefer 



: young Oak foliage to all other ; but in the North German plain, 



; sheep also love to browse on Scots Pine and Birch, and apparently 



the change of nourishment must in this case be the cause of 



: making certain species of trees appear tasty, which are otherwise 



usually avoided. 



The younger the crops that are injured, the greater the damage 

 generally is. It is greatest in young seedling growth and planta- 

 tions, and least of all in old crops where it is often confined 



