Delta chief., 1883-06-13
The Loco Weed.

Inc LOCO "ceu.
From the Rocky Mountain News.
In the last two years the State Of Colorado
paid upward OF S26, 900 as bounty for the de-
struction of the poisonous plant called the
loco weed. Almost all OF the money went TO
two or three southern counties, Conejos and
Costiiia being the largest claimants.
The wisdom Of paying bounty for this
weed has been seriously questioned by many
who eclaim that instead Of having the effect
intended, the bounty has become n premium
on production as ii is more profitable under
the law to raise loco than anything else.
But there is no room for doubt regarding
the injury done to cattle and horses by this
poisonous plant. The cattle growers Of the
infected sections have suffered severe losses
by the poisoning of their horses and cattle,
and they are still seeking ia vain for either
n preventive or an antidote for the weed.
Mr.. {. Il. Rhodes, manager Of the Mill
Iron cattle company, has had great deal of
experience with loco in the Pan Handle re-
rion Of Texas lie says that horses are more
APP, 10 ca, the weed than cattle, a3d that when
once iii. habit becomes fixed there Is no hope
u save the victim. Speaking of the effects of
loco poisoning to n Neans reporter, Mf. Rhodes
said: "Thc weed seems to ehces a horse very
much as opium does msD. Aaer feeding
upon the plant for q short time the animal
seems to devciopc a strong appetite for the
poisonous food. You easily distinguish
n horse ,ha, has acquired the loco habit. He
will stand for hours with his head hanging.
His eyes have stupid look and his hanks
are drawn. iiis ioins seem to sink aud he
loses all his natural courage and intelligence.
lie gc,@ distorted notions Of size and distance.
lie will jump as high to cross u stick lying in
his pathway as II he was trying to hop over
n iivc-barred gate. and after time he gets
the stnSgers. As matter Of course he be-
comes worthless a. a COW pony, because he
has neither the strength nor the intelligence
to do the work required. A few weeks, or a.
most couple Of months, will bring DEATH"
Mr. Rhodes says that common cattle do not
seem to take kindly to loco, but tina, the finer
grades, and especially blooded bulls, easily.
acquire an nppctii. for the weed. He nc-
counts for the difference In the theory that
the native stock are better rustlers than the
grades, aud hence are less likely To turn their
loco Is most dangerous In March and April.
II comes up strong aud green long before the
grass starts, and thus attracts the attention
of graxing animals.
The plant grows In little tui,s % bunches.
something like dock. and has long-poin'ed,
serrated leaves. II also has purple flower
that looks pretty enough to any one whose
interest In the landscape is purely artistic.
Lieutenant. Governor Meyer, who halls
from the loco section of Colorado, says that
his constituents suffer heavy losses every year
from this pest. He and his partners lost
thirty horses last spring in this way, and he
saw on the roundup year ago fully 1000
cattle that had died from the effects of this
poison.
He is not at all positive that the bounty
law is in any sense preventive of loco, but
he wants to have some better remedy discoY-
cred before the law is repealed.
lie has devoted much time and attention TO
the study of the plant and its effects, and has
tried TO find some antdote for the poison, but
without nvnil. He has sent specimens Of loco
weed, root and branch to the Department Of
Agriculture for examination and analysis, but
no good has come to his efforts In that dircc-
tion.
Governor Meyer thinks that the loco poison
acts very differently upon the brain and large
nerve centcrs of the animals which eat 1t.
He has examined the brains of many horses
and cattle which died from loco poisoning,
aud always found them badly diseased. In
many cases the cerebral cavity wns filled with
ycllowish, watcry fluid.
1t ID claimed by some that the weed is slow.
ly being distributed over the northern por-
lion Of the State.
General W. L. Campbell, who has a largo
rancho on the Republican river, says that he
has had all the loco weeds In iO,ooo-acfe
lot pulled up BY the roots, but he Is not Ger