20 
BTTLXETIX 1423, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
forage purposes is usually made up of those species that grow on 
the soil and on decayed herbaceous vegetation. 
FORAGE COVER 
The main forage cover on the winter coast range consists of a 
lichen type with a sedge-browse subtype : that on the winter interior 
range a lichen type with a browse subtype. 
On summer coast range, a sedge-browse type predominates: and 
in the interior a browse-sedge-lichen type. Table 3 gives a summary 
of the average types observed on summer and winter ranges in 
various sections. (See pis. 10 and 11.) 
Table 3. — Summary of forage types in the stand on summer and winter ranges 
showing in percentages the composition density, palataoility, and forage 
value 1 
Composition 
Lichen Browse Sedge , Weeds Moss 
Den- 
sity 
Palata- 
bility 
Forage 
value 
Coast summer range : 
St. Lawrence Island 
Kivalina 
Kotzebue Sound 
Seward Peninsula 
Norton Sound 
Yukon-Xunivak Island 
Kuskokwim 
Average 
Interior summer range: 
Broad Pass 
Gulkana-Tangle Lakes.. 
Average 
Coast winter range: 
St. Lawrence Island 
Kotzebue Sound 
Seward Peninsula 
[Norton Sound 
Yukon-Xunivak Island 
Kuskokwim 
Average 
Interior winter range : 
Broad Pass 
Gulkana-Tangle Lakes. . 
Average ■_ 

5 
91 
3 
1 
90 
65 
58. 5 
5 
15 
47 
31 
2 
79 
68 
53.7 
10 
26 
51 

8 
93 
64 
59.5 
7 
15 
53 
24 
1 
68 
60 
40.8 
11 
22 
50 

12 
92 
51 
46.9 
9 
15 
o< 
15 
A 
90 
60 
54.0 
6 
40 
34 
17 
3 
70 
67 
46.9 
" 
20 
55 
14 
4 
83 
62 
51.4 
18 
28 
r>- 
12 
15 
96 
70 
67.2 
16 
34 
29 
10 
11 
88 
',> 
59.8 
28 
63.5 
50 
50 
50 
50 
47 
12 
2 
11 
10 
40 
SO 
25 
15 
10- 
o 
60 
70 
15 
30 
5 
o 
70 
75 
10 
30 
4 ! 
6 ! 
87 
67 
10 
30 
2 
8 i 
99 
66 
30 
32.0 
420 
52.5 
58.3 
65.3 
49.0 
50.0 
64.6 
70.5 
i Forage value derived by multiplying the percentage of density of forage stand by the percentage of 
palat ability. 
The forage plants on the summer range consist chiefly of such 
herbaceous and shrub vegetation as grasses, sedges, weeds, and 
browse, and are eminently suited to grazing. They are highly or- 
ganized seed-bearing plants of strong tissue and firmly rooted in 
the soil. Most of the Alaskan species are perennial plants reproduc- 
ing both vegetatively and from the seed. They grow rapidly, pro- 
duce substantial foliage, and are not readily injured under grazing 
use. Making annual and rapid growth, they produce a successive 
forage crop from year to year. 
