REINDEER IN ALASKA. 
27 
Table 4. — Plants grazed in ic inter, in the order of their importance. 
First series : 
Reindeer moss (lichens) 
(Cladonia) (numerous spe- 
cies ) . 
Iceland moss (lichens) (Ce- 
traria ) ( numerous species ) . 
Second series : 
Group I — 
Cotton sedges (Eriophorum). 
Sedges (Carex). 
Grasses (Arctagrostis ; Poa). 
Ear lichen {Nephroma arc- 
ticum). 
Group II — 
Heath moss (Polytrichum) 
(several species). 
Bunch moss (Aulacommium 
turgidum). 
Clubmoss {Lycopodium anno- 
tinum). 
Second series — Continued. 
Group II — Continued. 
Fern moss (Hylocomium alas- 
kanum). 
Sphagnum moss (Sphagnum 
fimbriatum) . 
Pad moss (Dicranum) (sev- 
eral species). 
Third series : 
Willows (Salix). 
Blueberry (Yaccinium uligino- 
sum ) . 
Ground birch (Betula ro- 
tundi folia ) . 
Crowberry (Empetrum ni- 
grum). 
Alaska tea (Ledum palus- 
tre). 
Mountain cranberry ( Yacci- 
nium vitis-idaea) . 
GRAZING PERIODS AND CLIMATE. 
Keindeer raising is entirely a range proposition, involving year- 
long grazing, with, generally speaking, a winter season varying from 
seven months on the coast range to six or six and a half months in 
the far interior. On the coast the grazing periods run about as 
follows: Spring, or fawning period, April 10 to June 10; summer, 
June 10 to September 15 ; fall, September 15 to November 15 ; win- 
ter, November 15 to April 10. 
The seasonal periods applicable generally to reindeer grazing in 
Alaska are indicated roughly in Table 5, which includes figures on 
temperature and precipitation as recorded from climatological data 
collected by the United States Weather Bureau. Data are given 
for only a few widely scattered stations, but are thought sufficiently 
representative to afford a general idea of the climatic conditions 
covering the main reindeer area. 
Table 5. — Climatological data, by seasonal periods at various Alaska stations 
for the year 1919. 
Stations and districts. 
Temperature (°F.). 
Precipitation (inches). 
Years 
recorded. 
Annual 
mean. 
Lowest. 
Years 
recorded. 
Total 
annual. 
Snowfall. 
18 
3 
17 
2 
19 
14 
39.5 
34.3 
28.3 
23.4 
23.6 
26.4 
23.6 
25.3 
20.3 
5 
-43 
-58 
-57 
-66 
-56 
-49 
-47 
-60 
-57 
18 
64.98 
5.0 
Naknek, Bristol Bay 
Holy Cross, Yukon River 
3 
19 
14 
17.18 
13.33 
11.44 
68 4 
21 5 
29 6 
Unalakleet, Norton Sound 
12 
9 
12 
19.04 
54 9 
Candle, Seward Peninsula 
Akiak, Kuskokwim 
Salmon River (Kuskokwim) 
