The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-25
New Ncrico,s SIelpy Grass.


over IN Lincoln County. in this tori
tory. there Is a peculiar Kind 81 grass
known as sleepy grass, says CORES 'A-
dent Of the New York sun. 1t has the
property Of putting 70 sleep any alliil'.
that eats Of H. Sleepy grass sroN -
among other grass. and IS eaten by %l'
kinds Of stock readily. It's eNistance
was unknown for years after settlements
had been made in Lincoln COUNTY.
StOckmen and others noticed that az
imals would sometimes stand motion
less for AN hour ar two al time, but
n never occurred 10 them mat the cause
of this apparent resting was 4 eisuhct
grass The discovery was tnaily mHde
from San Antonio small station On me
SANTA Fe Railroad. near SOc0rro, 70
the Pecos valley. IN Lincoln county.
The trip is a long one. ana - portion
OF II IS over some OF the roughest c9un-
Try an New Mexico. Water Is not Lieh-
tiful along the roHte. and for miles tn'tr
IS hardly grass enough 20 feed JACK
rabbit while on other portions OF the
route there iS % rank growth 81 grass
II was one NJ these fertile places, a
veritahle oasis I'm the desert that the
discovery ~ sleepy grass was maze.
The party halfel about noon TOT lHl ,
ChcOn and the team was nnhitchtl ahp
picketcl ouf 20 Craze for an hour OF
So. The horses commenced eating with
a Will for they were hungry ana treIe
Is no more tempting grass to morse 8
appetite than the black gramina Wnlch
Is 10 be found iu nearly all parts or New
Mexico. They fei for Few moments
ana then suddenly stopped. ana. hoilihS
their heads about on q level WITH thelr
shoulders stood as motonless as II h'y
We're carved Of stone. ThS hehavl'G
was not in accordance WIN me ll-ls
Of one ~ the party "a to What hungry
ought 10 DO. lie went 20 whore the
horses We're standing ana FOUND them
fast asleep. on speaking 70 them IN =
loud tone both aWOke ana cumihenced
eating as If nothing had happened They
had eaten only a few m0uthfuls when
both We're sound aSleep as before By
this time the remankr OF me party
had become interested. The horses were
awakened several tunes only To ran
asleep after each successive arousing.
None OF the party lad ever seen horses
act go. ana all agreed That something
they had eaten had caused them 10 sleep;
Each Of the party. began = searGn, anlI
County ms sleepy grass was olsc"NeTeR
The story was related by the travellers
- an official Of Lincoln county, ana
since that time the effect Of this grass
ON animals has been observed by many
persons Horses, after eating Of IT,. IN
nearly an cases sleep standing. While
COWS and sheep almost invariably lie
down. II has occasionally, happenti
that travellers have stopped t. allow
their horses 10 feed i'm places where me
grass gfrw pretty thick and the animals
have had time 10 eat considerable guam
t{tv before its effects manifested them
selves. I'm such cases horses have gone TO
sleep on the road. They fall asleep
while being hitched up. and II often Te-
quires sharp cut with the whip "a
rouse them. They start of AT good
pace. which gradually slackens until
finally the heads droOp ana they come 10
stop. sound asleep. 4 loud word viii
sometimes suffice 10 start them again,
but oftener the whip is needed. The
effect Of the grass passes on in an hour
or two. and no bad results have ever
been noticed on account OF IL. IL q horse
be allowed 10 sleep until the effects
pass off ne appears 10 be very much re-
fIeshed. ana will travel long distan p
without apparent fatigue. but II urged
10 20 during the period Of drowsines s
which follows eating sleepy grass he
seems 10 be wearied even after the in
clnauCn 20 sleep has passed away.
Cattle on the range frequently come
upon patches OF this grass, where they
feed for perhaps half an hour and N N
fall asleep for an hour or more VIII IN
they wake up and 90 on feeding. The
programme IS repeated perhaps a dozen
times. until thirst Ohiges them 10 20
10 water. Sleepy grass is found i'm sev-
eral localities in Lincoln County. but
has never been reported I'm anv other
part OF New Mexico. Whether, like the
poppy. 1t contains ~ ium. or whether its
sleep-prcducing property Is due tn some
other substance, has not been determiu-
ed.
Salt Lake City Is one OF the most beau
frl In tod l.f a