166 THE PROTECTION OF WOODLANDS. 



of the former. But the damage done to Conifers is generally 

 more serious, because they have not such recuperative power in 

 repairing damage. If badly bitten, Scots Pine usually remains 

 more or less stunted, while Silver Fir soon recovers. The 

 shallow roots of Spruce are more damaged by hoofs than deep- 

 rooting Pine and Larch. In all Conifers, however, injuries to 

 bark or shoots enable parasitic fungi to effect an entrance. 

 Grazing animals prefer the leaves and shoots of hardwoods to 

 those of softwoods, but seldom touch Lime, Birch, or Alder. 

 Among Conifers they prefer the shoots of Firs to those of Pines. 

 Horses and sheep usually prefer young Oak foliage, though 

 sheep graze readily on Pine and Birch as a change of diet on 

 poor heathery tracts. The younger the crop, the greater is 

 generally the damage. When there is rank growth of grass, 

 damage by cattle and sheep is usually very slight, and grazing 

 may do good in checking the growth of grass and treading it 

 down. 



In Britain, protection against farm-stock, as also against dem- 

 and ground-game, is by Fencing, the cheapest and best form of 

 fence now being wires strained on wooden posts. The wires 

 are strained on posts (7 to 7J ft. x 6 to 8 in.) about 80 to 100 

 yards apart or more, and supported by staples driven into stobs 

 or smaller intermediate posts (5 to 6 ft. x 3 to 4 in.) at 9 to 

 12 ft. apart, and further kept in position by staples fixed in 

 two or three droppers or short upright pieces of wood put at 

 3 or 4 ft. apart between the stobs. The straining-posts of Oak, 

 Larch, or creosoted timber are set about 3 to 3J ft. in the 

 ground, and project about 3 ft. 9 in. to 4 ft. above it ; and at 

 angles where a very great strain has to be borne, additional 

 strength is given by fitting the foot of the posts into a sole and 

 supporting it with a strut (Fig 32). Pits have to be dug for 

 the posts, either with a pick on hard ground or with post-hole 

 boring implements on soft ground ; but the stobs, sharp-pointed 



