PROPAGATION. 141 



to the ground, particularly those sown in the autumn. 

 For both of these animals, the best preventive is to catch 

 them, which may be done with traps. They may also be 

 poisoned. The young trees may be protected from the 

 mice by keeping them clear of rubbish, that would shelter 

 these animals, and when snow falls, it should be trodden 

 down closely about the trees. Owls and cats will do their 

 share in the destruction also, but they will also take the 

 friendly little birds. 



Rabbits are also very apt to bite off young shoots, and 

 to bark trees of larger growth in the nursery, as well as 

 those that have been set out in the orchard. Various 

 methods have been suggested to prevent their injuries. 

 Wrapping the stems with strips of rags or with ropes of 

 hay, was formerly the method practiced by those who 

 wished to save their young trees ; the process is tedious 

 and troublesome. A few pieces of corn-stalk have been 

 placed by the stem of the tree and tied to it ; this, too, is 

 a troublesome procedure, though, like the others, it is ef- 

 ficacious. A still better plan in this class of preventives, 

 is a half sheet of common brown wrapping paper, made 

 to encircle the stem, like an inverted funnel ; this need be 

 fastened only at the top, by a little thin grafting wax ap- 

 plied with a brush at the instant, or the paper may be 

 tied with some common white cotton string. This en- 

 velope keeps off the rabbits, and lasts through the winter ; 

 the string will decay before the growing season returns, 

 so there is no danger of strangulation. All the other 

 wrappings must be removed, or they will injure the trees 

 and afford harbor for insects. It will be observed that all 

 applications of this class, are adapted only to trees that 



