1136 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVIII, No. 11 
Definite information is lacking as to the extent of infestation in eastern Penn¬ 
sylvania, although it is certain that hares are scarce there at present. Records 
are lacking also of occurrences west of the Hudson in New York. A few hares 
have been reported in the vicinity of Port Jervis, and the animals are reported 
quite common across the river from Poughkeepsie. 
Prof. A. Brooker Klugh, of Queen’s University, Canada, writes that the 
European hares are increasing and spreading rapidly in Ontario and that they 
occupy some 4,500 square miles adjoining Lake Erie on the north. Information 
concerning the species is being collected by interested Canadians with a view 
to publishing a report there on the matter. 
The areas of greatest abundance of hares at present are eastern Dutchess 
County, N. Y., western Litchfield and Fairfield Counties, Conn., and southern 
Berkshire County, Mass. The hares in New Jersey do not seem to have increased 
so rapidly as in New York, but they are reported to be numerous in the vicinity 
of Stelton, Middlesex County. 
The abundance of the hares is partially indicated by the number of bounties 
paid on them by Dutchess County from 1912 to 1917. Bounties paid for the 
first four years are as follows: For 1912, on 1,987 hares; 1913, on 1,879; 1914, 
on 3,054; and 1915, on 2,942. The figures for 1916 and 1917 are not available, 
but slightly over 3,000 bounties in each of these years must have been paid, 
inasmuch as approximately $4,000 was spent in the six years in paying bounty 
at 25 cents per head. If the bounty was paid on half of the hares in the county 
each year, it can be estimated that there are 5,000 hares in Dutchess County, 
or an average of 6 hares to the square mile. The continued increase of hares, 
however, in spite of this drain upon their numbers, would probably indicate a 
much larger population. Based on a study of tracks in the snow near Shef¬ 
field, Mass., a population of 20 to 40 hares per square mile has been reported in 
that vicinity. 
DEPREDATIONS 
The only serious complaint made against the European hare is the injury it 
causes to young orchard trees. This occurs only during severe winter weather 
when the natural food of the hare is not readily obtainable. Under such con¬ 
ditions, however, one hare can do great damage in a young orchard in a short 
time, and the presence of the animals in a fruit section is a constant menace 
unless suitable provision is made to protect the young trees. 
The first noteworthy depredations of these hares occurred during the winter 
of 1900, when several young orchards near Millbrook were severely damaged. 
At this time an unsuccessful attempt was made to collect damages from the 
person who liberated the animals. The injury by hares was particularly severe 
during the winters 1909-10, 1912-13, 1915-16, 1917-18, and 1920-21, the 
unusually deep and persistent snows of these years forcing the animals to depend 
for subsistence upon the bark of trees and shrubs. The investigation following 
the winter of 1915-16 showed that a large proportion of the young orchards of 
Dutchess County had sustained losses from hare depredations. Many orchard- 
ists counted trees destroyed by the hundred, a number which often represented 
entire orchards. 
The succulent bark of the younger trees is preferred by the hares, although 
no tree with smooth bark is immune from their attack. Every tree in one orchard 
of 200 large 5-year-old apple trees was badly damaged, and it was estimated that 
the losses in Dutchess County alone during the winter of 1915-16 exceeded 
$ 100 , 000 . 
The hare shows a decided preference for apple trees. In one large orchard of 
apple, peach, and cherry trees at Lagrange, N. Y., several hundred apple trees 
were destroyed, while not one of the peach or cherry trees was touched. Shade 
trees, ornamental shrubbery, small fruit bushes, and the like are damaged to some 
extent, but such losses are relatively inconsequential. 
