2o8 The Wild Garden 



is directly interfered with by the rabbits ; not to speak of the 

 expense incurred year after year making up losses in plantation, 

 and the expense of wire-netting in protecting the trees. The 

 extermination of rabbits is not such a difficult matter as might 

 be imagined. When it was determined here a few years since 

 to reduce their numbers to a minimum on the farm lands and 

 woods, it did not require more than a couple of years to do so 

 by shooting and ferreting during the season ; and they are 

 now principally confined to one part of the estate — an exten- 

 sive tract of waste land not of much use for any other purpose. 

 I feel pretty certain that a few active poachers would under- 

 take to clear an estate of its rabbits in a short time, and would 

 be glad to pay for the right of doing so. In whatever degree 

 rabbits contribute to our food supply — and it is not much 

 — they certainly destroy a great quantity of our crops, are 

 no profit to game preservers, and there is little excuse for 

 their existence. 



Hungry rabbits, like hungry dogs or starving men, will eat 

 almost anything that can be got. Rabbits, as a rule, prefer to 

 nibble over a pasture that contains short, sweet, wholesome 

 grass, and a proportion of Clover, Dandelion, and Daisies ; but 

 in and about woods where rabbits are numerous, the grass, 

 from being closely and constantly eaten off, gradually dis- 

 appears, and at the approach of winter is succeeded by Moss, 

 a very cold, watery, and innutritions substitute ; then rabbits 

 are driven to seek food from other sources than grass, and 

 the bark of small trees, the leaves, stalks, and bark of shrubs, 

 are eaten almost indiscriminately. Amongst evergreen shrubs. 

 Rhododendrons and Box are generally avoided, but I have 

 known newly-planted Rhododendrons to be eaten by rabbits. 

 The elder is distasteful, and American Azaleas are avoided. 

 I have frequently seen Yew trees barked; Mahonias are 



