FOREST PROTECTION 15 



Par. 4. Protection Against Wild Vertebrates. 



Amongst the wild animals preying upon the forest the mammals figure 

 as well as the birds. The role played by the vertebrates in the "house- 

 hold" of the forest is little known. 



Birds and mammals may injure the forest directly — by eating vege- 

 table matter produced in the forest, — or indirectly — by killing the 

 friends of the forester. Utility of a wild animal is frequently combined 

 with noxiousness, e. g. in the case of the crow, blue-jay, fox. 

 Useful animals may help the forester either directly — by seed distri- 

 bution, — or indirectly — by killing the enemies of the forest. 



A. — Protection Against Mammals Forming the Object of Chase. 



I. — Deer. 



a. — The damage done consists in:- — 

 Eating fruits. 



Browsing on shoots and seedlings. 

 Peeling the bark of saplings and poles (notably of spruce, 



oak, ash). 

 Rubbing off the bark when freeing the antlers of velvet. 

 Tramping down plantations or natural regenerations. 



The objects of damage are, above all, the rare species, or species 

 arousing the curiosity of the deer. 



b. — Protective measures are: — 



Proper regulation of the number of deer. Compatible with 

 the objects of silviculture are, per 10,000 acres, 50 head of 

 elk or 150 head of Virginia deer, provided that nurseries are 

 fenced. 



Feeding during winter by cutting soft woods or by providing 

 hay stacks. Mast-bearing trees should be encouraged; grass 

 meadows should be maintained; a few patches should be planted 

 in turnips, potatoes, clover, etc. Maintah h $ salt licks, es- 

 pecially with a view to preventing bark peeln g in spring. 

 Rohlfeld's game powder is said to answer the purpose still 

 better. Fencing nurseries ard young gnwth 

 Sprinkling seedlings with kerosere, liquid n n ure, blood, 

 cotton residue or, better, covering the fall ?h< < s exclusive of 

 bud, with coal tar. Coal tar is especially eilecfhe in the case 

 of fir and spruce. Thinnings should \e ih\>}e<} as loi g as 

 possible. Planting is preferable to sowing, <H really to sow- 

 ing in the fall. 



II.— Wild Boar. Boar are particularly disastrous t< iirscries, i at- 

 ural regenerations and plantatioi s. The oi h m * i^s are strong 

 fences. 



