CHAPTER XIl 

 THE ENEMIES OF ENGLISH WOODLANDS 



Amongst the various foes to which woods are exposed at 

 one time and another of their life-history, the most serious 

 may he said to be living organisms, such as animals and fungi, 

 and frosts and storms amongst climatic influences. Compared 

 with these, all other enemies, such as fire, hail, etc., sink into 

 insignificance. 



Eabbits. 



In the animal world, rodents, such as rabbits and hares, 

 are the most persistent and inveterate that young woods 

 have to contend with, and their depredations are too well 

 known to require describing. The best and safest way of 

 combating their attacks in the early stages is by a free use of 

 wire netting — -the only practical method with very small 

 trees, and which has already been dealt with in the chapter 

 on Planting. 



On areas where wire netting cannot be economically used, 

 however, other means may be employed which are successful 

 to a greater or less extent, although involving more trouble 

 and attention than when netting is used at the outset. 

 Amongst these, the most common are the protection of in- 

 dividual trees by old netting, sticks, etc., pushed in, or brush- 

 wood tied round the stems ; painting the stems with sticky 

 compositions, and so on — all of which methods can be used 

 with trees over 3 feet in height, provided the trouble and 

 expense are not objected to. When systematically carried 

 out, painting the stems is the cheapest and most effective 

 jjlan, for it can be done by boys or old men for whom only 



