90 The Ruffed Grouse 



in the same manner as open land does. Extensive areas of con- 

 tinuous woodland range may be greatly improved by the judicious 

 creation of slashings in accordance with this principle. 



As a cover type, slashings serve somewhat the same use as over- 

 grown land, especially in the summer. Both have an abundance of 

 summer food of berries, largely brambles, and insects. During this 

 season it is an intensively used cover type. In fall, winter, and spring 

 it is the least-used type excepting open land, largely due to poor food 

 conditions. The percentage of flushes per acre found in slashings in 

 each season were: summer, twenty-six per cent; fall, thirteen per 

 cent; spring, thirteen per cent; winter, eight per cent. 



Slashings may be conveniently divided into two subtypes as 

 grouse cover, largely on the basis of length of time since cutting: 

 areas cut over from five to ten years or less, depending upon rate 

 of regeneration, that show considerable giound covered by herba- 

 ceous species, and that have many brambles and few saplings; 

 areas cut over five to ten years or longer, depending upon rate of 

 regeneration, that have little open herbaceous cover, and that have 

 many saplings both from sprouts and seedlings and relatively 

 fewer brambles than the first. A slashing grows from the first type 

 into the second. As cover, the type is most valuable during the lat- 

 ter half of its first stage and for the first few years of its second stage. 

 As an opening it is most valuable in its first stage. As the slashing 

 grows toward the pole stage, toward becoming either a hardwood 

 or mixed-woods type, its value as slashing cover gradually dis- 

 appears. 



Overgrown Land: Shrubby areas grown up from old fields are an 

 important cover type group from spring through fall, but definitely 

 most important in fall. At this season it serves as a feeding ground 

 abounding in fruits and succulent greens. During the summer this 

 type produces an abundant supply of berries and insects and is 

 much used. In winter it is little used, for most of the fruit is gone 

 and winter shelter is usually lacking. The percentage per acre of 

 flushes in this type group by season was: fall, twenty-five per cent; 

 summer, twenty-two per cent; spring, sixteen per cent; winter, four- 

 teen per cent. 



There are three primary subdivisions of this type group in the 

 Northeast, all occurring on Connecticut Hill in significant quanti- 

 ties. These are: pure stands of temporary hardwood species; mixed 



