69 



Although in accordance with the ministerial order of June 20th, 

 1908, hedges and other places suitable for nesting are to be preserved 

 when land is divided for small holdings and allotments, yet a great 

 deal is destroyed, as it has become a passion among people in Ger- 

 many to exterminate bushes and trees. Therefore, I was anxious to 

 prepare several good reservations in which birds could find refuge, 

 as it is difficult to induce them to settle in a district from which they 

 have once been driven. 



In answer to my memorial, I was empowered by the Agricultural 

 Board, at whose disposal I placed myself free of charge, to carry out 

 the work, to superintend and direct the laying out of the bird shelter- 

 woods in this district, and at the same time I was informed that the 

 General Commission had received similar instructions. It was entirely 

 owing to the kind support of the President of the Commission, Herr 

 von Behr, that I was able to carry out this useful undertaking. 



In answer to my request, which was based on the ministerial letter, 

 I received two very favourable allotments. Each is about one acre 

 in extent and forms a long peninsula between the juncture of a 

 millpond and river-bed. Their proximity to the water, their secluded 

 position, and the fact that they are of no other use, make these two 

 plots of ground most suitable for the purpose. 



I received 15 from the Royal General Commission, 5 from the 

 Delegation, 30s. from the Society for Bird Protection, and 30s. from 

 the Society for improving the beauty of the place. The town furnished 

 labour free of charge. 



I laid out one reservation in spring and one in autumn in 1908. 



I will give a description of the first bird reservation to show that 

 it is possible to avoid stereotyped and one-sided methods if we base 

 them on von Berlepsch's measures. 



The numerous pollards, natural nesting places for birds breeding 

 in holes, were lopped so that the young plants to be planted beneath 

 them should not be robbed of light. Then the whole area was planted 

 according to the rules for shelter- woods (see pp. 55-62) with some 

 2,000 white-thorns, 200 to 300 copper beeches and hornbeams, seven 

 groups, each containing about 50 Lonicera (L. tatarica and L. xylosteum], 

 the dwarf Alpine red currant (Ribes pumilum), American gooseberry 

 (R. arboreum), wild gooseberry (R. grossularia), privet (Ligutrum 



