avoided as much as possible, or else such areas should be grazed in a 

 quiet, conservative manner, so that the livestock will spread out and 

 select a liberal admixture of other feed. 7 



Such wild browsing animals as deer and elk make considerably 

 more use of western and black chokecherries than do livestock. For- 

 est Service observations in Montana, for example, show that these 

 two species are, where abundant, among the most valuable local 

 browse feeds, and that the twigs are often extensively utilized during 

 winter. Western chokecherry, at least, appears to be browsed mainly 

 in the fall and, although generally used, does not seem to poison 

 either deer or elk. 8 The ripe, black cherries rank among the favorite 

 foods of birds. 



Western, black, and other chokecherries are well adapted for orna- 

 mental use. Their rather handsome form and dark green, shiny 

 foliage is enhanced in the spring by the large, showy flower clusters, 

 and in the fall by the blackish, grapelike clusters of fruit. The 

 cherries are edible, with a sweetish but astringent aftertaste, alluded 

 to in the common name, chokecherry. The fruit is commonly used 

 locally for jellies and jams, and occasionally for wine. 



7 Dayton, W. A. IMPORTANT WESTERN BROWSE PLANTS. U. S. Dept. Agr. Misc. Pub. 

 101, 214 pp., illus. 1931. 



8 Dixon, J. S. A STUDY OF THE LIFE HISTORY AND FOOD HABITS OF MULE DEEII IN CALI- 

 FORNIA. PART 2 FOOD HABITS. Calif. Fish and Game 20 (4) : [315]-354, illus. 1934. 



