The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-05-03

same as beef in the East. They never
feed cattle here, and the losses some
times during hard winters have been as
high as forty percent, mostly among the
calves and very old cows.
The winter of 1889 and 1890 was the
most severe in the history of this indus
try, and the losses were heavy among
the cattle that should, and ordinarily
would, have come through in fine condl-
ton. Horses stood it much better, but
in some localities nearly al the sheep
died from starvation. One gentleman
situated during that winter among. the
mountains east of here, started in
with 1000 sheep and lost all but about
100. They were showed in among the
mountains, and the snow fell to such a
depth that it was impossible to remove
them to places of safety, while cattle
could be, and were, driven from place to
place, in consequence of which the losses
were less than they otherwise would have
been. There are other sources from
which losses frequently occur.
The coyotes are standing pest among
the cattle, killing many of the young
calves. They wait until the cow is COM
PEELED to leave the place for water, when
they get in their work before the return
of the mother who would otherwise de-
y
or as some say smut among the bunch
grass that is credited with a strange eff
feet on cattle, sheep and horses,
killing many and seriously injuring 9th
ers. 1t seems to affect the spine and
brain of the animals, rendering them flu
riously insane, and if they live, almost
worthless. The weed is called the
loco" and the cattle when affected by
this trouble are said to be s'locoed."
There is no known remedy for the
trouble
The United States agricultural depart
ment have sent experts here to investi-
gate this subject but thus far their efforts
have been unavailing. They having not
yet determined definitely from what
source the trouble ARISES. The weed
designated as the one responsible for the
trouble, and always pointed out by the
cattle men here as the loco plant has been
supposed by them to be poisonous but it
has been demonstrated by the govern
ment expert to be entirely harmless. He
stepped it and not only gave the decoction
to the cattle, but drank it himself with
perfect impunity, thereby demonstrating
the harmless nature of this plant once
supposed to be SO poisonous. 1t is
now claimed to be something in the ma
ture of ergot among the bunch grass on
which the cattle feed, and think it is
quite doubtful whether the true cause
has yet been found and until that is
done, there can be no hope of finding
any remedy. 1t is said that stock once
affected with this malady, while they
may live and recover to a certain extent,
never fail. if put to work when becoming
heated by over exertion, to show symp-
toms of their former trouble. When at
foo 1r,l' how fo1
yoke, becoming entirely manageable.
1t is with extreme difficulty that they
are made to resume their feet, and it is
wholly impossible for them to work for
many days.
Stock is looking fat this spring having
had fine winter with little snow in the
valleys, while there has been an abund-
ance in the mountains, rendering it.possi-
bic for them to get all the water they
need awithout coming to the corral.
Here is always water kept in the large
eanks and the COWS with young calves
are driven in here and kept until their
young become old enough to follow their
mothers, when they too are allowed to
go to the mountain range without danger
from the thieving coyotes.
The cattle industry here has suffered
as well as the mining, and in about
ket that formerly consumed much
of the beef is now wanting and
there seems to be a Limited de-
mand for cattle east of San Francisco
Mining towns and cities that once Gre
ated demand for the products of the
farm and ranch, are now in nearly every
section of the State being deserted.
Workmen are thrown out of employment.
the fires go out in the furnaces, mills
shut down and everything wears a look
of general decay. Wool is worth here
on the ranch the munifcent sum Of fif-
teen cents. Horses, unbroken to har-
ness have no value. A lady on Rees river
gave twenty for wagon, but she dealt
with tenderfoot, who had no knowl-
edge of the country.
Today March 20 the thermometer in
dictates eighty-five degrees in the shade
here in the valley, with snow
laying all around us. The road
ten miles east of here is so
blocked with it as to be nearly impas-
sable. In every direction one may loo k
there is snow lying on the mountains,
but it is fast disappearing and the stock
are leaving their winter range in the val
leys for the mountains where they get not
only good feed but plenty Of water from
melting SNOW.