94 PROTECTION OF WOODLANDS. 



down the head of game to reasonable limits by shooting off the 

 periodic increment, and partly of a sylvicultural nature so far as 

 regards the due protection of such trees, or species of trees, as are 

 likely to be exposed to danger. 



Among the Preventive measures, which fall to the duty of the 

 gamekeeper, are to be reckoned the reduction of any excessive heads 

 of game by shooting them down, the provision of a sufficient 

 amount of nourishment for them, and adequate supplies of fodder 

 during the winter months, of hay, acorns, potatoes, turnips, 

 Indian corn, and horse-chestnuts for red-deer, and by the felling 

 of softwoods, especially Aspen and Silver Fir, for roe-deer, so that 

 they can browse on the buds and the clusters of mistletoe that 

 are often growing on the latter ; whilst the formation of meadows 

 and open spaces, the retention of a sprinkling of softwoods in 

 young crops, and the planting out of chestnuts and horse-chestnuts, 

 Mountain Ash, and other mast-bearing trees, should also not be 

 lost sight of. 



The Sylvicultural measures of utility in this respect include the 

 avoidance of sowing out acorns and beech-nuts in autumn, espe- 

 cially along strips or bands of prepared soil, if there be any con- 

 siderable head of red-deer or wild pigs, as they both, but particularly 

 the latter, know very well how to find out the seed, and are almost 

 certain to devour it completely during the winter months. Where 

 blanks are to be filled up among young growth, quickly growing 

 species should be selected, and sturdy transplants made use of; 

 in some places, as on the Harz Mountains, for example, Spruce is 

 planted out in wisps of seedlings for the protection of plantations, 

 in the hope that one or other of the seedlings forming the wif 

 may escape being bitten. The introduction of subordinate speci 

 may also take place in small patches instead of merely singly 

 individually, when there is any likelihood of their being nibble 

 (Silver Fir) or barked (Larch) by the deer. 



Among the direct Protective measures may be enumerated 

 enclosure or fencing in of all plantations, and areas being repi 

 duced, until they have outgrown the danger of being browsed on, 

 a measure which cannot be avoided in deer-parks, or less 

 frequently the defilement of such areas by means of strongly 

 smelling substances (crude pretroleum, assafoatida, &c.), into which 

 linen cloths are dipped and then applied as convenient. Of late 

 years, and particularly with regard to young woods of conifei 



