DISEASES AND PESTS 107 



of the old world, the wild hog is almost everywhere 

 present, and may be expected to destroy all young 

 coco -nuts which it can reach. In the Philippines 

 many plantations of young trees have been almost 

 wiped out by these pests. Something can be done in 

 keeping them away by means of dogs, but this kind of 

 protection usually proves ineffectual where wild hogs 

 are numerous. Coco-nuts are not safe unless protected 

 by good fences, and a fence to be reasonably hog-tight 

 must be of barbed wire, with at least six wires, the 

 lower ones not more than four inches apart and close to 

 the ground, and very tightly stretched. If such a fence 

 is built, it should then be patrolled at intervals of not 

 more than one week, to see that hogs do not open holes 

 under it, and use them as runaways. Planters some- 

 times have the idea that coco-nut seedlings are cheap, 

 while the fence is expensive, and that it is economical 

 to keep hogs away as well as possible with guns and 

 dogs, and to replace such trees as are still destroyed. 

 This policy may be trusted not to succeed. The hog is 

 both wary and venturesome. If seedling coco-nuts can 

 be reached, he is likely to find them, and where there is 

 abundant bait many hogs may be expected. In the 

 Philippines, instead of the effectual barb wire fence a 

 light rope, or a heavy cord, is sometimes soaked in tar 

 or in hog dung, and strung around the field to be 

 protected ; for a time this affords reasonably efficient 

 protection and can be renewed without much cost. 



In some places appreciable damage is done by 

 monkeys and apes of various kinds. Very moderate 

 use of a gun will usually drive such animals away. 



