Food and Water 123 



age claims on account of grouse. New Hampshire continues this 

 practice today, paying thirteen claims totaling $338.44 in 1940. 

 Highest annual payment was in 1926-$26,000. In the 1930-40 

 period, the highest was $3488.07 on seventy-five claims in 1935; the 

 lowest was $12.57 in 1938. 



The wild apples are small-to-medium-sized trees, rather short- 

 lived and very hght demanding. They grow best on fertile soils but 

 often seed in on abandoned fields with acid and worn out soils. 

 They are subject to damage by numerous insect and fungus pests. 



The browse and fruit of the apple are among the most important 

 wild-life foods in the Northeast. Hosley (1938) says "If all the ani- 

 mals using the apple were known it would probably rank as the most 

 universal wild-life food of the northeast." In addition to the grouse, 

 it is a staple food of the white-tailed deer, raccoon, red fox, and 

 skunk; is also eaten by tlie bobwhite, ring-necked pheasant, many 

 song birds, opossum, woodchuck, gray fox, red squirrel, snowshoe 

 hare, and cottontail. In spite of this competition for the fruit and 

 foliage of the apple, the buds that are most important to the grouse 

 are relatively secure. 



Chemical composition: (fruit) water-63.3 per cent; protein-.3 

 per cent; fat-.3 per cent; nitrogen-free extracts— 10.8 per cent; 

 fiber-25.0 per cent; ash-.3 per cent; calories per pound-220 (Hos- 

 ley, 1938). 



Partridgeberry {Mitchella repens) 



Seasonal importance: Eaten rather consistently in a small way 

 throughout the year, the fruit from fall until spring, the leaves at all 

 times. 



Parts eaten: Fruit and leaves. 



Geographical importance: Mitchella is used about evenly through- 

 out the northeastern range. 



A small, evergreen, trailing, herblike shrub, partridgeberry (see 

 Plate 21C) is found in the ground cover of dry woodlands, often 

 associated with conifers. The fruits are eaten by several other 

 species of birds besides the grouse including the bobwhite and by 

 the red fox. Their competition is of no significance to the grouse. 



Chemical composition (dry leaves and stems): water-4.8 per 

 cent; protein-7.3 per cent; fat-2.2 per cent; nitrogen-free extiact 



