262 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Hiesemann's book ^ showed many nests, averaging fully one 

 to every tree and probably more. These are pruned every 

 six years hach to the trunk. In the ease of the lindens 

 (Tilia parvifolia) the pruning is done a foot or more away 

 from the main trunk, and some excellent nest platforms 

 formed. There is no undergrowth among these rows of trees, 

 which border a brook. 



The Hainich Wood (about 6 miles distant) is the place 

 where birds prevented the defoliation of surrounding forests 

 by insects in 1905 from spreading into that of Baron von 

 Berlepsch. This is composed in the main of pure spruce 

 and almost pure beech stands. Among the beeches the nest 

 boxes are plentifully distributed, but at least 30 paces apart. 

 They are said to be practically all occupied by birds, prob- 

 ably the majority by titmice. In the spruce woods the boxes 

 are located only at small openings, as most of the forest is 

 in dense shade. At these points an experiment is being con- 

 ducted with four boxes, one being an earthenware one, the 

 rest regular von Berlepsch boxes; one with a 32 millimeter 

 opening (Box A), another, Box B, with a 46 millimeter 

 opening, and a third being built exactly like Box B in every 

 respect except that the hole is the same size as that in 

 Box A (32 millimeters). So far the indications are that the 

 last is much preferred by the smaller tits to the others. The 

 earthenware box is considered of no value. Probably it is 

 too good a conductor of heat. 



There is a small orchard of old apple trees, entirely uncul- 

 tivated, about the forester's house at the Hainich Wood. On 

 these trees there are many nesting boxes, often two on each 

 tree (of different sizes), and these, Herr Schwabe says, are 

 frequently both occupied the same year by different species 

 of birds. 



The show spot on the estate is a thorn hedge along the 

 edge of a small wood, every bush of which has been pruned 

 for nesting purposes. Mr. Wharton examined about 300 

 feet of this hedge and counted 31 nests in that portion. 



The above, condensed from Mr. Wharton's notes, if used 



> Martin Hiesemann, " How to attract and protect Wild Birds." English edition, trans- 

 lated by Emma S. Buchheim, 1912. 



