Some foresters are of opinion that reindeer damage the tree vegetation by nibbling 

 off and, accordingly, destroying young plants, by rubbing their horns against rather young 

 trees and by depriving the ground of a lichen cover, useful in certain respects, etc., while 

 others have pointed out that reindeer promote the renewal of the forest, at any rate in 

 tracts where the reindeer-Uchen grows so densely and luxuriantly as to be able to 

 check the renewal of the forest. As to our case, more particularly concerning burnt 

 stretches, the reindeer-lichen must be disregarded, because, firstly, as is known, it will 

 generally take about half a century before a reindeer-lichen cover grows out again, and, 

 secondly, this lichen seemed, on the whole, to be of secondary importance in the forest 

 ground of these regions. 



From the observations recorded in the preceding pages, it is apparent that the forest 

 was formerly much more widely distributed in the Sayansk tracts, and likewise, that the 

 factors causing this forcing back of the forest are still unceasing and operative in the 

 present times. 



The grand primeval forest in the Sayansk mountains seemed by slow, but certain 

 degrees to meet destruction, and if the climatic changes are to be continued in the same 

 way as now, the Sayansk mountains will no doubt some day rise as naked and deforest- 

 ed as the Tannu-Ola now. These mountains are roughly parallel with the Sayansk 

 mountains, and form the boundary of the Urjankai country southwards. They are 

 a dry and woodless mountain ridge, practically destitute of forest right up to the sum- 

 mits, only the north side in the greatest elevations being clad here and there with 

 small patches of wood, especially of larch, which is the tree here best able to stand 

 the drought. The Tannu-Ola mountains are reported to average as high as the Sayansk 

 mountains or even higher, and the fact that the Tannu-Ola is now destitute of forest, is 

 no doubt due to the drier climate, as these regions, with prevalent northerly winds, will 

 have to lie in the rain-shade of the Sayansk mountains. 



I have not been in the Tannu-Ola myself, and have only seen these mighty moun- 

 tains at a distance, from the Ulu-kem Steppe, and have, accordingly, not had occasion to 

 . search for the remains of the forests, which, formerly, in a moister period, may be sup- 

 posed to have grown here. 



The Alpine Region. 



The alpine flora of these regions I have learnt to know from a stay in the «Altaian», 

 a mountain mass consisting of rather high, snow-clad mountains situated in a north- 

 westerly direction, at a distance of about 50 wersts from Ust Algiac. On this mountain 

 the river Sisti-kem takes its rise. 



The alpine vegetation is very rich and luxuriant, with many characteristic plants, 

 especially in more sheltered places, the open mountain being poorer. Especially on decli- 

 vities about the tree limit itself, the richness is many a time quite exuberant. 



7 73 



