242 MISC. PUBLICATION 303, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
natecl grouse, and ruffed grouse ; Merriam's turkey ; red squirrel, pale chip- 
munk, mule deer, porcupine; relished by Olympic wapiti. Rocky Mountain 
mule deer, ColumlDian 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. 
Rubus spp. Blackberries, dewberries. 
Because of the difficulty of identifying species of Riibus, 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 gTowth 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 atta^ck cultivated blackberries and 
raspberries. They are subject as v^'ell to anthracnose leaf spot, mosaic, and 
double blossom, all diseases which affect cultivated species of Ruhus. 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. tliyrsantlius 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 parts 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. 
Btomach 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 1().8 percent of fruit food of the eastern skunk in Mich- 
igan. 
Observations (summarjO : 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 Nevr 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. hispidus) ; 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 Olj-mpic 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. 
Rufacer nibrum, see Acer rulrum. 
Rulac ealifornicum, see Acer negundo. 
