THE EFFECT OF OPENING UP THE WOODLAND ON FOOD SUPPLY 



233 



completely as to cause the death of thousands of trees. Where maple was the dominant spec- 

 ies and the undergrowth was not too dense, this resulted in many small openings, which 

 were quickly occupied by a host of herbs, briers, sprouts and insects. The result was a rapid 

 increase in grouse food. Thus natural forces may create many breaks in forest cover. 



Man-Made Openings 



Spurred on by economic necessity, man ma\ cau.se openings in woodlands of a yariety 

 of forms. Each of these may differently affect the grouse food supply. The most seyere of 

 these is of course, wholesale clearing and subsequent culti\ation. Crops such as buckwheat, 

 corn, clover, together with accompaning weeds and insects, unless located immediately 

 adjacent to adequate shelter are seldom of i7iuch value to grouse, as these birds rarely 

 venture far into the open for their food. Allowed to revert, however, as is occurring in 

 many parts of the Mortheast. cultivated fields ma\ be taken over by a |)roduclive combin- 

 ation of trees and shrubs, both evergreen and hardwood, intergrown with gra.sses. straw- 

 berries, clovers and other much sou":hl after herbs. 



FROM JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER NO COVER TYPE IS SO RICH IN GROUSE FOOD PLANTS AS ARE 



CUT-OVER LANDS 



(Grazing, particularly if heavv. lends to eliminate woodland undergrowth and to encour- 

 age replacement of the normal flora of the forest floor with grass. Light grazing may be 

 beneficial, however, where the undergrowth is dense and in need of being opened up. Many 



