May 1934       PLANTING FOR WILD LIFE IN THE CORN BELT               Cb 
By W.* L. McAtoe 
Principal Biologist,                            . 
Burou of Biologicrl Survey, U.S. Department of Agriculture 
The millions of acres of land that are to be taken out of corn 'produc- 
tion provide n enormous area that may be used in a variety of ways that are

in accorcu:.ce with the policies of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration.

IVmiong uses to which some of this land may be put is planting for wild 
life. Farmers as a class enjoy hearing the cheery call of the bobwhite, see-

ing the cottontail timorously come out to browse at dusk, or in other way7s

sensing- the presence of the wild things that help to make farm life attractive.

For those who wish to hunt or to permit hunting on their lands, there are
the 
additionl rewards for good wild-life nanagement--game brought to bag or 
revenue derived from the sale of sho6ting privileges, In some cases receipts

from this source pay taxes, and where due attention is given to the matter,

larger revenues are possible. 
Plantin. for wild life should be planned with reference to two of the 
greatest needs of furred and feathered creatures; namely, the need for cover

and the need for food. Important and indispensable as food is, yet cover

must receive first attention, for regardless of the presence of a plenteous

food supply, wild life cannot persist on land without adequate shelter from

its enemies end where there is no cover where the young may be safely reared.

Cover for the majority of the small forms of wild life means low, dense 
vegetation, some of which should-be tangled, or stiff and thorny, so that
in 
time of need, the pursued can dive into it to escape the pursuer. Weedy 
fields, for instance, provide fairly good concealing cover but are much im-

proved for wild life by the presence of rose or berry brier patches, plum

thickets, or honeysuckle tanglos. 
Planting to improve cover can well be made to serve a double purpose 
by using food-producing vegetation, aid a triple use b,- carrying it on wvhere

erosion control is needed. If only cullies and waste corners of the farma
are 
planted, much cean be done to increase cover for wild life. Cover plants
for 
the Corn Bolt that are useful both as soil binders and food producers include

groenbriers or catbriers, blackberries, dewberries, bittersweet, grapevines,

trumpet vine, Virginia creeper, and Japrn honeysuckle. 
Fi-ait-bearing shrubs or small trues that can be used to provide cover 
on any available land include redeodar 'nd other junipers, wild roses, thorn

apples, blackberries, dewberries, raspberries, wild plums, sumacs, wild groees,

buffalober,, dogwoods, blueberries, huckleberris, elderberry, blackhdnws,

and honeysuckles. 
PlbIts to be used prim: rily for food producers may be selected. from the

precedin. lists or may be such additional things as mulberry, hackborry or