BIOLOGIC BALANCE— McATEE 323 



way for still others. This is just as true of the farm as of the wood- 

 land; a source, perhaps difficult to trace, may have a great result, 

 though acting through a number of links in the chain of cause and 

 effect. Such a series is like the file of wooden soldiers familiar in 

 childhood; let one topple and down go the rest. To return to the 

 warp and woof metaphor, the web of life is so involved that no thread 

 may be added, none withdrawn, without in some degree affecting the 

 whole pattern. No wonder then that man's usually unconsidered 

 and ruthless alterations lead to unfortunate results. 



Observation teaches that natural balance, like good housekeeping 

 and good husbandry, is guided by the rule of "A place for everything 

 and everything in its place." It takes every kind of place or 

 "habitat" natural to an area to insure the presence of all factors nec- 

 essary to working of the biologic balance. The farm that keeps all 

 natural nooks and produces wildlife food and cover as widely dis- 

 tributed and abundant as compatible with successful farming will 

 come nearest to attaining the biologic balance that is so necessary 

 to wild creatures, and so beneficial in maintaining the farm. In the 

 light of the balancing principles of holding territory and pioneering, 

 it is encouraging to the individual landholder to realize that attrac- 

 tive territories for numerous kinds of wildlife can be established 

 entirely within the boundaries of his own place, that he can success- 

 fully practice wildlife management whether his neighbors do or not, 

 and that the keenness of wildlife in finding all favorable places in- 

 sures that the territories he preserves or creates will be found and 

 occupied. 



The farmer who, as far as possible, preserves natural conditions 

 and encourages biologic balance, contributes not only to his own wel- 

 fare but also to that of the nation. 



197855—40 22 



