242 MISC. PUBLICATION 303, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



nated grouse, and ruffed grouse; Merriam's turkey; red squirrel, pale chip- 

 munk, mule deer, porcupine; relished by Olympic wapiti. Rocky Mountain 

 mule deer, Columbian black-tailed deer, Rocky Mountain snowshoe rabbit, New 

 Mexico black bear, moose, snowshoe hare, cottontail rabbit, pica. 



In view of the involved synonomy of the species it is quite certain that iden- 

 tifications and reports of utilization by wildlife are probably very often in 

 error, and that some of the species names listed above may be misunderstood by 

 users of this list. Perhaps the safest statement to make would be that since 

 most of the roses hold their fruit the year round and have been fairly well 

 demonstrated to act either as a reserve food or grit or both, that utilization of 

 the wild roses in planting for wildlife may often be of value. 



Kubus spp. Blackberries, dewberries. 



Because of the difficulty of identifying species of Rubus, which are in the 

 same general taxonomic confusion as Crataegus, they are treated only as a 

 genus. 



The erosion-control value of the blackberries or dewberries lies in the fact 

 that many species form dense thickets comparatively rapidly, and that many 

 form dense mats on the ground. The branches of most species are either pros- 

 trate or with the tips bent down, and wherever they touch the ground they take 

 root. Most species will grow satisfactorily in very barren and infertile soils and 

 most of them require sunlight for their best growth and for fruit production. 

 Many are considered troublesome weeds in fields. The greater number ordi- 

 narily invade and rapidly occupy burns, eroded areas, old fields, and logged 

 areas. Many produce biennial canes which fruit and perish. 



Numerous species harbor rusts which also attack cultivated blackberries and 

 raspberries. They are subject as well to anthracnose leaf spot, mosaic, and 

 double blossom, all diseases which affect cultivated species of Rubus. For this 

 reason considerable care needs to be exercised in planting them. Among those 

 most free of disease should be listed the Himalaya blackberry (R. procerus 

 Muell., R. thyrsanthus of Am. Auths.) which is susceptible to orange rust, but 

 fairly free from other diseases and safe to plant. The second species is the 

 evergreen blackberry (R. laciniatus Willd.) (PL 36, B) which, outside of the 

 Northwest, is generally subject to double blossom but otherwise is comparatively 

 free from disease. Both of these introduced species are more or less natural- 

 ized in various pa.rts of the country. 



Mowing brambles usually results in an increase in the number of shoots and 

 enhanced vigor of growth. If this is practiced two to three time a season for 

 2 years or longer, eradication may be accomplished. Burning generally favors 

 brambles unless additional brush is piled on them to make a hotter fire. 



Stomach records (summary) : One hundred and forty-six species of birds, 

 including bobwhite. ruffed grouse, dusky grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, Richard- 

 son's grouse, California quail, ring-necked pheasant, and greater prairie chicken ; 

 composed 3.1 percent of fall food of prairie chicken in Wisconsin ; composed 8.1 

 percent of fall food of sharp-tailed grouse in Wisconsin ; mountain sheep, 

 coyote, opossum, Townsend's chipmunk, chipmunk, dusky marmot, Florida 

 skunk, black-tailed deer, red fox, gray fox, plains white-tailed deer, white- 

 tailed deer; composed 10.8 percent of fruit food of the eastern skunk in Mich- 

 igan. 



Observations (summary) : Sixty-three species of birds; ranks eighteenth on 

 the list of quail food plants of the Southeast; an important food of ring- 

 necked pheasants; blue grouse, ruffed grouse, Hungarian partridge, relished by 

 scaled' quail, band-tailed pigeon; form a prominent share of midsummer food 

 of skunks in New York ; of considerable importance as food and cover for rab- 

 bits ; pica, red squirrel, black bear, beaver ; second most preferred winter food 

 of deer in Massachusetts (especially R. Mspidits) ; R. parviflorus is of outstand- 

 ing importance as browse for mule deer, R. leucodermis of slight importance; 

 red fox, captive marsh rabbit, porcupine ; relished by Olympic wapiti ; an im- 

 portant food of Roosevelt elk ; Columbian black-tailed deer, Rocky Mountain 

 mule deer, ring-tailed cat, Townsend's chipmunk, Allen's chipmunk, golden- 

 mantled ground squirrel, brown mountain beaver, Pacific mountain beaver, 

 Olympic black bear, snowshoe hare ; squirrels, moose. 



Of some small value as forage for livestock; as a whole the group is of 

 secondary palatability to livestock. 



Eufacer rubrum, see Acer rubrum. 

 Eulac californicum, see Acer negundo. 



