WOODLANDS, GAME, AND SPORT 309 
by men delving and trenching during the autumn, 
so as to let the earth be acted on by frost and air 
in order that the prepared strips or patches may 
form a favourable germinating bed for the seed to 
be sown on them in spring. And then, after much 
trouble and expense have been incurred, when the 
wire-fences round young plantations, natural re- 
generations, or encoppicements are removed and 
the area is thrown open, the danger from ground 
game still remains; and one hard winter may 
result in damage to such an extent that the 
financial success of that particular crop is practi- 
cally impossible. To take the case of one estate, 
out of about a hundred thousand ash planted 
within the last ten years, to reap the advantages 
offered by this valuable tree, only a few now re- 
main. The soil being suitable, the plants did well 
so long as they were left alone, but when rabbits 
were allowed to get at them they very soon more 
than decimated the promising young crop of ash. 
Proof after proof as to the destructiveness of 
ground game could be adduced to an overwhelm- 
ing extent if it would serve any really practical 
purpose. There can be no remedy except con- 
stant expenditure to repair damage, and usually 
