AboutadozenyearsagomywifeandIplantedahedgeoftwenty-sevenarborvitaetreesalongtheborderofourbackyard,which,althoughourhousesitsonnineteenacresoffieldsandwoods,isalsothebackborderofourproperty.Aslopinghayfieldwitharealtor’sdreamofpanoramicviewsliesdirectlybehindus.Sothehedgewasourattempttosecureprivacyforthefuture.Thenurserymanwhosoldustheshrubsassuredustheywerethebestspeciesforourpurposeandclimate.Imeasuredandmarkedtheplantingsites,calledin“Chink”Norris(whosepossiblyracistnicknameI’venotlookedintoanymorethanIhavethenurseryman’scredentials)tocomewithhissmallbackhoeanddigtheholes.Asadvised,Ifaithfullywateredandfertilizedeachtreethroughouttheholes.Asadvised,Ifaithfullywateredandfertilizedeachtreethroughoutthefirstyear,withresultsthatwereeverythingI’dbeenpromised:dense,hardy,andluxuriant,atoweringbulwarkofgreen.Thusbegananepisodeofgreatvexationandbuffooneryinmylife,knownand(Ihavenodoubt)merrilyrecountedinlocalcirclesasthetaleof“Garretandhistrees”,orasmywifeputsit,“Garretandthedeer.”Itsohappensthatwelivenexttooneofthecounty’smostextensive“deeryard”,thoseareasofcanopiedwoodstowhichthedeerretireinwinter,makingnetworksofdeeplyfurrowedtracksandforagingasbesttheycanuntilthere’sadeclaredwinnerintheyearlyracebetweenspringandstarvation. Italsohappensthatdeerfindarborvitaeadelicacy,relatedtothecedarthattheyalsolove,butthickerandmoresucculent.Bythesecondwinterthey’dfoundandattackedmytrees.Ifoughtback,notwithavengeance—Istoppedshortofthat—butwithsomethingclosetoobsession.IerectedfencestructuresthatmadeourbackyardlooklikeascenefromtheSomme.Iplayedrecordingsofwolveshowling,recordingsofmehowling.Ifiredpistolshotsatrandomhoursofthenight.Ihungorsprinkledrepellentsofbloodmeal,urine,(mine),anddeodorantsoap.Hearingthatdeerwererepelledbythescentofhumanhair,Iaskedsomehairdresserstosetasidetheirsweepingsinabagwith,asthesayinggoes,mynameonit. Asanywardenwilltellyou,ifdeerarehungryenoughtheywillgetthroughanything,whichthisyearincludedanelectricfencehookedtoachargersupposedlypowerfulenoughtodeteranelephant.Sothefarmerwho’dhelpedmerigitupassuredme.Whathedidnottellme,becausehedidnotknow,wasthattheinsulatingsnowpackwouldpreventananimalfromcompletingthecircuitwiththeground.Incamethedeerlikeaschoolofpiranhas.ThiswasshortlyafteramanfromConnecticutpurchasedthehayfieldbehindourhouseforapricefewofmyneighborscouldaffordedandnoneofthemcouldbelieveandsetaboutmeasuringthefoundationsofahouse. Whytheauthorsetsupanelectricfence?
A.as a safety precaution
B.to prevent the harassment by deer
C.as part of house decoration plan
D.to halt potential thieves and robbers
正确答案是B