LICHENS 



peted with it for many miles. These are fine pastures 

 to the Laplander, and a man who owns a tract of them 

 is thought to be rich, for he can keep great herds of 

 reindeer. 



\Vhen the snow is frozen so hard that the reindeer 

 cannot get their usual food, they eat another curious 

 lichen called rock hair. This grows upon the trunks 

 and branches of trees. It hangs down in masses and in 

 long loops or garlands, waving in the wind. When the 



winter is severe, the Lap- 

 landers cut down the trees so 

 that the reindeer can feed 

 upon these lichens. 



You see from this that 

 these little lichens, which 

 Rock Hair. Ruskin calls " humblest of 



the things that live," pro- 

 vide food, clothing, and means of transportation for a 

 vast number of people in the cold regions. The people 

 live upon the reindeer, and the reindeer upon the lichen. 



ICELAND MOSS 



You have just been reading about lichens that 

 furnish food for the reindeer. But in Iceland there is 

 a lichen which forms an important article of food for 

 the people. 



This is the Iceland moss. It is found in all the 



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