GOATS ON FAR WESTERN RANGES. 3 



Browse should be available on kidding ranges, to provide buds, 

 fresh leaves, tender twigs, and variet}' in the feed, which are funda- 

 mental requirements, especially when the growth of grass is deferred 

 by drought or late season. 



Nearly all species of browse are grazed to some extent by goats, 

 though certain species are of much greater value than others. The 

 species of mountain mahogany (C ercocarpus spp.) are among the 

 most important kinds of goat forage. They are very palatable, 

 abundant, and widely distributed; they produce a large amount of 

 forage; are not easily injured by grazing; and most of them are 

 evergreen. 



The palatable oaks {Quercus spp.) also furnish a considerable pro- 

 portion of the browse forage for goats. The evergreen oaks are of 

 great importance throughout the entire year. Gambel oak (Q. 

 gamhelii), New Mexican oak (Q. novornexicana) , and other de- 

 ciduous oaks are of value chiefly during the summer, not only be- 

 cause they drop their leaves in winter but because ordinarily they 

 grow at elevations too high for .satisfactory winter use. The oaks 

 are generally of only moderately high palatability ; they derive their 

 importance as goat forage chiefly from their distribution and abun- 

 dance. Several other important browse species of moderately high 

 palatability are garrya 1 [Garry a spp.), maple (Acer spp.), snow- 

 berry (Symphoricarpos spp.), cherry (Prunus spp.), willow (Salix 

 spp.), sage (Artemisia sfp.), and Apache plume (FaJlugla para- 

 do xa). 



The blue brush 2 (Ceanothus integerrimus) of the Pacific coast and 

 Fendler's ceanothus (C . fendlerl) of the Rocky Mountains are of 

 very high forage value. The blue brush is probably the most valu- 

 able browse species on the Pacific coast. Several other species of 

 ceanothus 3 furnish considerable forage for goats. Other important 

 browse species of very high palatability are fendlera (Fendlera 

 spp.), bitter brush (Kunzia trklentata), lemita or skunk bush 

 (Schmaltzia spp.), New Mexican locust (Robinia neomexicana) , 

 service berry (Amelanchier spp.), and rose (Rosa spp.). 



Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.) is grazed rather freely in south- 

 ern New Mexico, but in California and Oregon it is eaten only when 

 the range is overgrazed. In the spring it is often peeled by the goats, 

 apparently for the sap. 



There are undoubtedly many other browse species of high forage 

 value for goats. Additional observations are necessary to determine 

 their importance. Among such species are probably simmondsia 



1 Locally called quinine bush. 



2 Also called wild lilac, sweet birch, and white birch. 



3 Some of the most important are Gregg's ceanothus (C greggii), white thorn (C. cor- 

 duTatus), red ceanothus (C. sanguineus), and wedge-leaved ceanothus (C. cuneaius), 

 locally called " chamise." 



