Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-11
AN ENCHANTED WEED
THE LOCO PLANT FOUND IN THE
WEST.
Makes Animals Crazy - Government
Scientist Believes He Has Found
an Antidote,

Ihere Is fortune awaiting the person
VINO VIII discover an antidote for loco pois-
ohins. II the assertions Of prominent ranch
men In the western states are to be be-
heved. said Washington resident who re-
turned the other day from q trip through
the west to reporter for The Star "A
NUMBER OF ranchmen in the western part Of
Nebraska. in eastern Colorado. wyoming
and Montana informed me that unless the
loco plant Is exterminated, or an antidote
Is found to prevent its fatal effects on AMI
mails they will be obliged to quit raising
horses. as they cannot afford to endure the
| wholesale loss of animals to which they
nave oeen subject because Of the plant for
| the last few years.
by looking in the dictionary" continued
Inc stars informant, II find this loco weed
Is OF the genus oxytrophis, and that it Is a
species OF the bean family, found in the
western and southwestern parts of the
United States The plant is sometimes
called crazy weed because of its. action on
the brains of animals that eat it. Horses
ana Gattle both fall victims to the weed
put the former animal seems to show a
greater preference for 1t than the latter:
nence larger percentage of horses than Of
cattle die from its effects. Once a horse
mas partaken Of the wild, poisonous plant
his usefulness is over, for the creature be-
comes as crazy as a loon, and nothing can
bring him to his right senses He lives in
| this insane condition for a while-a few
Gays or few weeks-and finally drops off
and all is over for the animal and the
ranchman loses all the way from $50 to
500.
Not Generally Distributed.
The loco weed Is a scrubby plant. the
leaves being covered with a whitish fuz It
grows about seven or eight inches high. and
always on high ground. usually on buffalo
/
me that they have never found It on bot
tom or meadow lands. 1t is not generally
distributed over section, but is found 10
caliy IN certain quarters. One mans pas
ture may contain a considerable amount Of
loco. while the adjoining pasture will be
entirely free from the weed so far as the
owner Is able to ascertain. In a number of
instances. I was told ranchmen were
obliged to abandon large areas Of pasture
land In the states mentioned because of
the prevalence Of loco weed in the inclos-
ures.
Numerous attempts have been made by
those interested to exterminate the plant
but for various reasons success has not at
tended their efforts. Both ranchmen and
scientists have also endeavored to discover
an antidote for the poisonous plant. but. 50
far as could learn, they have not yet been
successful.
Peculiar Effects Of the Plant.
1.-THE effects Of loco upon an animal are
peculiar. While 1 was on ranch In the
west one morning I saw the owner turn
into his pasture a splendid horse. He was
sound, apparently, in every way, and quite
spirited I had ridden behind the animal
and was struck with its exhibition of
boss sense and its kind disposition. One
evening. few days after the horse had
been turned out to Craze, I saw the identi-
cal horse coming up to the trough for
water. 1t was the same animal, but what
a change had taken place. His head hung
almost to the ground though he was
searching for something to eat. as he
shambled along. He walked to a feed
trough in the corral without noticing 1t.
and sided around the obstruction in a
foolish manner.
After getting a drink he started back to
the open pasture, and to my intense sur
prise, walked right through a wire fence,
needless of the barbS which cut him about
the forelegs and breast. The ranchmen.
who happened to approach at this point. in
formed me that the horse was 1ocOed.'
The animal reared over backwards, walked
into all kinds of Instructions and seemed
devoid of any intelligence. At times he
about the pasture. but always he seemed
to be searching for something along the
ground.
Will Eat Nothing but Loco
st was informed that once an animal
has eaten loco he will not eat anything
else but will wander about for days look
ing for the poisonous weed, which, a
rule, is not easy to find, as it grows only in
spots in small quantities Nothing will in
duce the affected creatures to eat other
food, and it is stated that they simply
hunt about for the cause of their doom
and finally die of starvation. A locOed ami
NAL will perform all sorts of crazy antics
which would be amusing If not pitlfui.
However, they seem to suffer no pain, I'M
less intense hunger and craving for the
enchanted weed could be SO termed. l
have seen a horse affected with loco APP
proach rope or a stick lying In his path
and leap over 1t with as much effort as
though 1t were a house he was trying to
Jump over. They frequently turn back
somersaults and perform various other
equine gymnastics.
At the botanical division OF the Depart
ment of Agriculture 1t was learned that
the government scientists have made many
Investigations into the matter Of loco pois-
made to discover an antidote for the effects
of the plant. 1t was stated that DR.. V. K.
Chestnut Of the botanical division has de-
voted a great deal Of attention to this sub
ject for several years past and that he
believes he has at last discovered cure
for loco poisoning. DR.. Chestnut is at
present in Montana, where he Is expert
menting with his discovery and studying
the weed, but no reports have been received
from him at the department with regari
to the results thus far attained.
A cure for loco poisoning, no doubt, Will
be hailed with great satisfaction by the
ranchmen of the west. who, 1t Is STAGED.
have lost many valuable horses and consid-