DAMAGE CAUSED BY ANIMALS. 89 



47. Injuries done ly Swine ; Preventive Measures. 



Sivine eagerly consume Oak and Beech mast, and also the 

 cotyledons of both these species when the seedlings have ger- 

 minated ; whilst wallowing and snouting in the ground in search 

 of insects and mast, they injure many plants by grubbing up 

 small ones completely, or damaging the roots of large ones. 

 Weakly saplings and sturdy transplants on grazing land they 

 also damage by rubbing themselves against them. In consequence 

 of their wallowing propensities, the different layers of fallen leaves 

 are mixed up together so as to interfere with the normal process 

 of decomposition and the formation of humus or leaf-mould. 



When conducted in an irregular and inconsiderate manner, the 

 herding of swine can be very detrimental to the wellbeing of the 

 forest, although the damage can easily be reduced to a minimum, 

 if limited in extent, and only permitted under adequate super- 

 vision. But in many cases the driving in of swine into the 

 woodlands is a sylvicultural measure productive of no little good, 

 as, for example, in the preparation of the soil in seed-fellings of 

 the Beech, and in providing a soil-covering for the Beech mast ; 

 towards the effective attainment of both of these objects the 

 wallowing of the swine materially contributes, as well as towards 

 the destruction of injurious insects, whose larvae and chrysalides, 

 eagerly devoured by pigs, are to be found in their hibernating 

 quarters in the soil. 



In order to obviate damage, the herds of swine should only 

 be driven into the older woods, where the trees are little likely 

 to suffer any appreciable injury of the roots, and only when 

 adequately supervised by herdsmen. If, as is usually the case at 

 mast time, they are to remain in the woods for the night, they 

 ought to be securely penned at nightfall. 



In Beech woods undergoing reproduction, the herds of swine 

 should be driven in during mast years until the fall of the beech- 

 nuts begins to be general ; but when it happens to be a good seed 

 year, the herds may still be allowed to seek pannage in the en- 

 closures undergoing regeneration, in order that the seed may be 

 | worked into the soil by their feet, and by their breaking up the 

 ground with their snouts in quest of worms, larvae, &c. Care should, 

 however, be taken only to drive in the herds of swine into such 

 woods after they have been feeding well elsewhere, otherwise they 



