8 BERNT I.YNGF. M.-N. Kl. 



Cetraria islandica is in piaces a valiial;!«- additional food for domestic 

 animals, especially for swine, and it should be used for that purpose more 

 than it is now. But it is of little importance as food for human beings. — 

 In times of great distress every food-stuff is welcome. Tradition says that 

 there was no starvation at Modum in i8j2 as long as there was bread- 

 moss left in the forest. 



Cladonia alpestris 



is the 'rein{s)mose' of Norway, called so because it is an important food 

 for reindeer during the winter. Reindeer have a wonderful instinct for 

 finding it, kicking away the covering of snow and thus attaining their 

 winter food. In the farming districts it is only called 'nio.se' (moss), — 

 the Norw. name 'lav' (lichen) being only used for the pendulous beard 

 lichens [Usnca, and A/nioria-sp.) 



Our best Cladonia a/pcstris fields are situated in 'Nordre Østerdalen' 

 and in Finmarken. At the former, the ground is covered with this (and 

 other) lichens for miles and miles between the Swedish frontier and the 

 Glommen valley. In Southern Norway there are also other CI. alpestris fields, 

 but none so rich and so large as the above. 



Several experiments have been made to find the weight which a 

 certain area could produce. The highest figures are calculated at 14 — 

 1500 kilos per 1000 m^, but the experiments were made at selected small 

 areas (12.5 m^), covered with the purest possible CI. alpestris, developed 

 at its best. It would hardly be possible to find a continuous 'moss' field 

 of 1000 vr? covered with such fine moss. The average figure for a com- 

 mon field will be lower, but much higher than for Cetraria islandica. 

 The available amount of CI. alpestris is of quite another scale. 



The lichen fields in Finmarken are still larger, but the intense rein- 

 deer breeding has taxed them severely. According to an estimate by our 

 most competent authority, Mr. K. Nissen, of the Board of Agriculture, the 

 total number of tame reindeer may be put at 100.000 in Finmarken, in 

 all other Norw. provinces together at about 50.000. (191 6). If there are 

 no or only a few reindeer (as in Østerdalen) Cl. alpestris will become the 

 dominant lichen on poor sandy ground in subalpine and lower alpine 

 continental districts. But if there are many reindeer (as in Finmarken), onl}' 

 the relatively quick growers will attain full-grown size before the next in- 

 vasion and the breeding which is an extensive culture will thus alter the 

 vegetation ot these large and desolate districts. 



Some places in Finmarken where reindeer pasture is prohibited carry 

 a remarkably fine CI. alpestris vegetation, e-g. about Ravnastuen. 0n the 

 other hand the reindeer cannot be made responsible for all the inland 

 places in Finmarken where this lichen is poorly developed. It is not so 

 unpretentious as some other lichens, and there are vast areas in Fin- 

 marken that are too poor for it. Cladonia silvatica (niitis) and Cetraria 



