The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-14
ge aita 1ailu Eagle araau qaorimg asebruay H. 1902
the Destruction of the plant VIII be sure

the destruction of the plant VIII be sure
and rapid
1t is not yet absolutely determined
! why these beetles make their appear
| ance during certain springs IS 70 cnectu-
ally destroy the loco plant for that year
| Tie suggestion has been made by Senator
| Marunl that the universal prevalence OF
| ants during certain years tends II de-
| Stroy snaDy OF these beetle larvae above
| mentioned and nernaps this theory VIII
| when secured. As Vet, the whole matter
| IS in the condition of suggestions and
| further studies are necessary 70 establish
| them S lacts. The possible relation BE-
| tween TIE loco eating habit and abortion
| ia cattle deserves immediate atteatiCn.
| DIR. Wilcox brought with MIN from
| larvae as he could secure, in oraec that
/ the habits OF the insect might ne de-
| termIuoo. These were placed IN breeding
| cages in order that the larvae when
| latched may be collected and studied IN
addition to the beetles, another irsect
| vas brec from tie leaves Of the loco
| plant. The IDENTITY OF this has been
| determined and while without doubt it
assists in the destruction Of the loco
plant, its artificial Introduction over wide
| ranges is thought to be impossible.
At the present time DR.. Shaw, who is
now botanist and etomologist Of the
station, IS continuing this work, but
nothing IN addition TO the above has been
developed.
'.The veterinary side of the inquiry is
beirS conducted by DIR. Lewis. vetcriu-
arian OF the station. Last summer. he
went to WOOdV ara and collected several
sacks Of the loco plant. These we're taken
to the station and experiments com
menceG IN feeding II to rabbits with the
expectation of loccing them. The leaves.
the stems, the whole plant. and an eN-
tract or the whole plant We're fed TO diff
ferent los Of RABBITS for the periods OF
onetO two months without noticeable ef-
fects. Rabbits are largely used IN vet
erinaly studies because CT their tendency
to take any disease or get into any
trouble that other animals will Tho fact
! that the rabbits in this instance showed
none of the effects attributed to the cat
| ing Of loco proves nothing. only that fur
ther work along this line must be done
DIR Lewis also wrote to number Of
cattlemen IN western Oklahoma and
Texas in order to get the benefit of their
experience with the loco plant on the
range. The replies We're strlkingly uni
form and the following ore may serve
rs the onopion OF the men who wrote on
the subject:
:" we consider loco one Of the worst en-
enies TO stock or the plains. 1t affects
cattle ard horses about the same and
Inquestionabiy, it viii produce abortion
Our mares and COWS VIII not DO ~ any
good so Ions as its affects remain in their
systems. II they eat much of It and do
not ABORT, their young are deformed in
some way, in tact, worthless.
NO definite information as to the areas
where loco grows so aDundantly as to
cause trouble IS available. bat from such
Jnc2gre reports IS we have. it does not
appear that the case is hopeless or that
there are not large areas where no
trouble is experienced. The above state
ment represents what has been done at
teE Oklahoma experiment station in this
line up 10 the present time. We hope
during tie cOming summer 70 send the
bOIanISt and the veterinarian of tho sta
ton into the districts where loco Is most
troublesome in order that they may ac-
quaint themselves with the conditions on
the ranges and gather Information from
experienced cattlemen. The Importance
OF this york grow upon Us as we get
further along with # and so far as the re-
Sources Of the Oklahoma experiment sta
IiOn will permit the work viii De con
tinded until something definite IS ascer-
tanned.
.'Fhe United States department OF ag-
ricultgre is conducting INVESTIGATIONS of
poisonous plants. Bulletin No. 26. OF the
division Of botany reDOrts an investiga-
ticn Of the stock poisoning plants Of Mon-
tana by Y. K. Chestnut and y. Y. VII
cox. In Montana. their chief trouble is
with iCcoed sheep and quite an extended
list of pcisonops plants is described in
the bulletin. The loco weed Of western
Oklahoma is said to be the same as the
comma loco weed of Colorado. differ
ing slightly from the white loco weed
OF Montara.
THE following summary Of the section
of the bulletin concerning various loco
weeds is OF interest. showing as It Goes
the very unsatisfactory lack Of iuforma-
tion about this important topic.
The white loco weed IS 4 common
and widely distributed plant in Montana
being especially ABUNDANT or slopes with
a northern exposure. 1t has long been
orsidercd by Montana stoCkmen as the
most important loco weed.
% Or observations show that eating
this plant produces the loco disease, and
f. rfr am in hoe
and horses but rare in cattle. Fatal eff
fects were noted IN one acute and several
chronic cases in sheep
Narcotic effects were produced in n
rabbit by feeding an extract of the
leaves
. The present state OF knowledge con-
corning the exact physiological effects
Of loco is so vague that no specific anti
mended
"'Lccoed sheep should he renewed from
the band and fattened fer market on al
falfa or other forage plants.
The imme Slate isolation of locoed
sheep is advisable in order 10 prevent the
habit from spreading in the band.
It seems desilable to give sheep a
regular and abundant supply Of salt in
order to prevent the development of any
perversion Of the appetite
'Ioc0ed horses aroused 20 the hest
advantage as draft animals. but they
must lie maintained II good condition and
prevented from eating loco weeds
There isp't much consolation in that
Tor the Oklahoma cattlcman and as I
stated o. the outset. there is 9 multi
plicity Of opinions but little real 6nCwl-
edge of the way ir which loco plants pro-
duce the effects ascribed ro them and
Is for a remedy that is stll more diff
cult. It i easy enough 10 advise that
cattle be not allowed 10 eat loco. hEt it
il hard 10 take that advice. Conditions
ON the range do not always permit of
feeding the COWS andit is hard TO cffer
any suggestions that possess the merit
cf being practicable. You men know the
conditions surrounding YOU and 7 would
not presume 70 offer sugge stions about
a matter tnat ycu have heen working
out for yourselves fer many years. But
I assure you that at present. no effort
is Icing SHARED by tho Oklahoma eXieri-
9lent station 70 sift this loco business 70
tne bottom. And IN 81 far as I may sreak
FOR the future. this work viii be con-
tinued SD Ions as there is anything left
10 work nj along this lire But the work
is slow and difficult and il is very prob
3a,e that we shall have 70 ask you many
times TO be 1atien before the Oklahoma
station. or someone else finds ou- all
about it
PRICES IN THE FUTURE
V,4OreSfsu1 Address on EFup0rfaur