THE RABBIT 
protected. It is said that they will not touch Rhododendron ponticum even 
if the plants are small and the winter severe. Nor will they feed upon 
elder, which has the recommendation of growing well under trees, and 
when “ plashed,” rabbits will lie well under it. They are not to be trusted 
near hollies or young osiers. Indeed, they seem to be rather partial to 
hollies, and in time of snow will attack even old trees. In hard weather, too, 
both laurels and privet suffer from their depredations. The larger kinds 
of box, snowberry plant (Symphoricarpus) and butcher’s broom (Ruscus 
aculeatus) are recommended where the soil is favourable for their growth, 
and for wet places scarlet dog -wood {Cornus sanguined). In moist woods 
too, a good thing to plant is Carex pendula, a common sedge which forms 
good evergreen ground covert, and is very free. In like soil the woodrush 
{Luzula sylvatica)^ briar, and wood grass {Aira ccespitosa)y may be recom- 
mended. In the way of berried shrubs nothing is more beautiful than a 
well-grown specimen of Cotoneaster affinis. Every year it is laden with 
bunches of glossy red berries. It is well adapted for planting along the 
edges of game coverts, as it affords plenty of food for pheasants, which 
are very fond of the berries. Sir Herbert Maxwell, in his delightful 
“ Memories of the Months ” (1897, p. 92), has published a useful list of 
ornamental plants for game coverts which may be more or less relied on 
to defy the attacks of rabbits; although there are others such as the Ameri- 
can partridge -berry {Gualtheria) and several kinds of barberry, which, if 
protected when first planted out, can take care of themselves afterwards. 
In young plantations where rabbits and hares abound, there is nothing 
so effectual as wire netting until the trees are strong enough, and tall 
enough to be out of the way of their attacks. Where it is necessary or 
desirable to feed rabbits in winter there is nothing better than old roots 
and hay, but they are fond of acorns also, and fatten well on them. The 
oak, indeed, is an invaluable tree in game coverts; for not only rabbits, 
but pheasants, wood pigeons, and wild ducks are all very partial to acorns, 
and feed greedily on them. In addition, such pasture as they can get for 
themselves may be supplemented by hay, crushed oats, and wood-cuttings 
for the sake of the bark; but this applies rather to warrens and to places 
where the food is restricted by reason of enclosure with wire netting. 
Where rabbits are not restrained within certain limits, but are able to 
get out and roam where they like in quest of food, they can generally 
manage to get a living without any such assistance as that above indicated, 
even in districts which look most bare and unproductive. 
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