64 



The hedge is now cut only every four to six years, and for this 

 purpose is divided into six parts. 



An avenue of Canadian poplars, which stretches along the brook for 

 some way, serves not only as a passage for the birds between the park 

 and the field-copses, but is used by a colony of over a hundred fieldfares 

 and many other birds, including a few kestrels. Poplars and white- 

 thorns are considered as breeding places for grubs, but they are so 

 only when birds are scarce, i.e., where the plants, especially the white- 

 thorns, are not correctly treated and the poplars are not hung with 

 boxes. It is to be noted that those years when the leaves of the 

 tree have not been eaten are comparatively poor in birds. This 

 proves that our object is attained, just as the best physician renders 

 himself unnecessary in course of time. 



If this were not the case, the long avenues of poplars and thousands 

 of white-thorns would supply the whole Seebach district with cater- 

 pillars. But the opposite is the case. In the summer of 1908, which 

 was comparatively poor in birds, the station chief, Herr Schwabe, 

 found only a nest of the tinea on the white-thorn, and even this did 

 not thrive. On the fruit trees, experts could find no trace of cater- 

 pillars, though no steps had been taken to exterminate them. So, 

 too, in Seebach, willows, ashes, and the various Ribes were entirely 

 free from insects though no artificial remedies were used and though 

 the last species is very liable to attacks from the sawfly. 



The poplar trees of this avenue are lopped every five years in the 

 manner shown in the accompanying illustration. The birds build 

 their nests on the knotty excrescences produced by the lopping, 

 particularly when there are young branches. Other trees in the park 

 and the avenues, such as limes, maples, etc., are prepared for the 

 birds without their natural growth or their appearance being injured. 

 The branches and twigs of many of the trees, are pruned so that the 

 same whorl-shaped ramifications are formed as in the stock-bushes 

 of the shelter- woods without injury to their appearance and growth. 



The home park at Seebach deserves special attention. There, as 

 we said before, all the trees of Central Europe are represented. The 

 undergrowth, consisting chiefly of white-thorn, different varieties of 

 gooseberry (latterly especially Ribes grossularia arboreum, and Ribes 

 pumilum), yew, privet, etc., which grows under the dense foliage of 



