Food and Water 175 



by-product of lumbering is the common destruction of the so-called 

 weed species, which often include important food-producing trees, 

 including hornbeam, beech, and hophornbeam. In a table classify- 

 ing thirty-seven New York tree species of upland woodlots accord- 

 ing to usefulness ( Cope, 1933 ) , three important grouse food-produc- 

 ing trees are among the fourteen valuable species (red and white 

 oak and black cherry), eight are among the thirteen intermediate 

 species, and eight of ten inferior species are important grouse food 

 plants. A similar list classifying forty-six trees of West Virginia 

 ". . . according to their cash value" includes but three important 

 grouse food-producers (the same three as above) among eighteen 

 valuable species. The sixteen inferior species included six important 

 grouse food plants while the twelve weed species had nine ( Smith & 

 Byers, 1941). 



Fortunately, woodland cutting often results in more improvement 

 than injury. Shrubs are released so that they produce larger crops of 

 fruit. Brambles, pin cherry, quaking aspen, and other desirable 

 woody plants germinate in the new openings; the herbaceous food 

 plants are usually greatly increased. Insect food also is much more 

 plentiful in slashings and woodland openings than in the woodland 

 proper. 



It is clear then that taking out wood products may readjust the 

 grouse food situation in many respects. Since the changes depend 

 upon the type of cutting operation and upon the conditions existing 

 before cutting, it is apparent that regulation of woodland cuttings 

 may be made an important method of improving food conditions for 

 grouse. 



Burning: Woods fires initially destroy grouse food. However, the 

 plant succession resulting from a fire often brings in a more desirable 

 food supply than formerly existed, or at least adds variety. A light 

 ground fire temporarily removes most of the herbaceous ground 

 cover and some of the shrubby understory. The plants that then 

 spring up are likely to be somewhat but not strikingly different from 

 those destroyed. A crown fire, or a very hot understory fire, however, 

 will create an entirely different cover type which at first is practically 

 useless for grouse. In a few years, however, it may become an im- 

 portant food-producing area serving the purpose of a slashing. The 

 vegetation on these bums is often dominated by pin cherry, poplar, 

 brambles, and blueberry. . . 



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