Plants Used for Food by Sheep 



on the Mica Mountain 



Summer Range. 



BY R. KENT BEATTIE, A. M. 



Professor of Botany and Head of the Department of Botany, W , S. C.* 



The plant growth of a forest region is not confined to trees which 

 are valuable for wood products and lumber. Associated with them 

 are other smaller trees and many shrubs and herbs. All these together 

 form a secondary but at the same time a very important source of the 

 usefulness of the forest the supplying of food plants for grazing animals. 



An economical management of the forest involves a wise and eco- 

 nomical use of this forest food. As much use of it must be made as 

 is consistent with the main object of the forest, the production of wood 

 products and lumber, and with the preservation of a continued supply of 

 grazing for future years. 



The state of Washington contains seven well marked vegetative 

 regions: (1) The sagebrush plains of central Washington, (2) the 

 bunch-grass hills of the Palouse country, (3) the moist west side fir 

 forests, (4) the yellow pine forests of the Blue mountains, Stevens, and 

 Ferry counties and the eastern slope of the Cascade mountains, (5) the 

 white pine and white fir forests of the Cascade and Blue mountains, (6) 

 the subalpine fir and black hemlock forests of the higher Cascades and 

 Olympics, and (7) the high arctic vegetation above timber line in the 

 Cascades and Olympics. All of these regions enter more or less into 

 cattle, sheep, and horse raising. Only the sage-brush plains, the bunch- 

 grass hills, and the yellow pine and white pine forests enter into this 

 discussion. 



The sage-brush plains and their adjacent river valleys lie below 

 1200 feet elevation and have a rainfall of 5.7 to 13 inches per year. 

 About three-fourths of this rain falls during the months from November 

 to May, while July, August, and September are almost rainless. The 

 winters are mild. The temperature in winter averages but little below 

 freezing and seriously cold weather comes but seldom. These condi- 



"Resigned September 15, 1912. 



