70 
BULLETIN 1089, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Rutting starts August 25 and ends in October. Reindeer should be 
held in good grazing areas during this period and in the fawning 
season. Experiments demonstrate that reindeer may be fed like 
cattle, but this would probably not be an economic success. 
While no serious contagious diseases of reindeer have occurred in 
Alaska, control of certain diseases and of parasites must be under- 
taken. Killing diseased reindeer promptly is recommended to pre- 
vent spread of contagion in the herds. 
The warble fly (Oedemagena tarandi) is a serious reindeer para- 
site, damaging the hides and causing abscesses on the legs. Tape- 
worm cysts, for which dogs are responsible, will disappear in reindeer 
by proper treatment of dogs. 
Reindeer meat is at its best in autumn, and the right time for 
slaughtering is in October and November. Earlier than this the 
back fat is not fully laid on, and later the parasitic larvae depreciate 
the value of the meat. 
The reindeer industry in Alaska promises to become a large factor 
in the development of the Territory and should be encouraged in 
every practicable manner. 
CHECK LIST OF ALASKAN RANGE PLANTS. 
The following list includes the plants that have been identified as 
occurring on the reindeer range of the coast lying between Point 
Hope and Kuskokwim Bay, including Nunivak and St. Lawrence 
Islands. This list is compiled largely from collections made during 
the investigations and in part from the collection of Charles Thorn- 
ton, of Nome, Alaska, a local botanist. 
GRASSES. 
Agropyron serieeum (wheatgrass) 
Agrostis aequivalvis (redtop). 
Agrostis borealis (redtop). 
Alopecurns alpinus (foxtail). 
Arctagrostis latifolia. 
Calamagrostis scabra (coast 
joint). 
Elymns arenarius (dunegrass). 
Elymus mollis (dunegrass). 
blue- 
Festuca rubra (red fescue). 
Festuca rubra barbata (fescue). 
Festuca rubra subvillosa (fescue). 
Phleum alpinum (wild timothy). 
Poa arctica (bluegrass). 
Poa eminens (giant bluegrass). 
Poa hispidula (bluegrass). 
Trisetum spicatum. 
GRASSLIKE PLANTS. 
Carex aquatilis (sedge). 
Carex atrofusca (sedge). 
Carex canescens (sedge). 
Carex compacta (sedge). 
Carex con color (sedge). 
Carex helconastes (sedge). 
Carex lachenalli (sedge). 
Carex macrochaeta (sedge), 
Carex membranacea (sedge). 
Carex rotundata (sedge). 
Carex scirpoides (sedge). 
Equisetum arvense (horsetail). 
Equisetum palustre (horsetail). 
Equisetum sylvaticum (horsetail). 
Eriophorum angustifolium (large cot- 
ton sedge). 
