Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-12-02
AN ENCHANTED WEED.
The Loco Plant Found in the West.

Washington resident who returned the
other day from trip through the
West to a reporter of 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 extermina
ted, or an antidote is found to prevent
it fatal effects on animals, they will be
obliged to quit raising horses, as they
cannot afford to endure the wholesale
loss of animals. to which they have been
subject because of the plant for the
last few years.
''By looking in the dictionary, " con-
tinued the Stars informant, 81 find
this loco weed is of the genus Oxytrop.
his, and teat it is a species of the bean
family, found in the western and south
western parts of the United States.
The plant is sometimes called crazy
weed because of it's action on the
brains of animals that eat it. Horses
and cattle both victims to the weed,
but the former animal seems to show a
greater preference for it than the lat
ter; hence larger percentage OF
horses than of cattle die from its effects.
Once horse has partaken of the wild,
poisonous plant his usefulness is over,
for the creature becomes as crazy as a
loon, and nothing can bring him to bis
right senses. He lives in this insane
condition for a while-a few days or
few weeks-and finally drops off and
all is over for the animal, and the
ranchman losses all the way from $50
to 800.
1.-The loco weed is a scrubby plant,
the leaves being covered with white
lsh fuz, grows about seven or eight
inches high, and always on high ground,
usually on buffalo sod, l believe they
call it. Ranchers inform me that they
have never found it on bottom or mea
dow lands. 1t is not generally distrib-
uted over section, but is found local.
ly in certain quarters. One mans pas
ture may contain considerable amount
of loco, while the adjoining pasture
will be entirely free from the weed, 80
far as the owner is able to ascertain.
In number of instances, was told,
ranchmen were obliged to abandon
large areas of pasture land in the
States mentioned because of the pre-
valence of loco weed in The. Enclosures.
Numerous attempts have been made
by those interested to exterminate the
plant, but for various reasons success
has uot attended their efforts. Both
ranchmen and scientists have also en-
deavored to discover an antidOte for
! the poisonous plant, but, so far as L
could learn, they have not yet been
successful.
1.-The effects of loco upon an animal
are peculiar. While l was on ranch
in the West one morning l saw the
owner turn into his pasture splendid
horse He was sound, apparently, in
every way, and quite spirited. l had
ridden behind the animal and was
struck with its exhibition of 'h0ss
sense and Its kind disposition. One
evening, a few days after the horse had
been turned out to Craze, l saw the
identical horse coming up to the
trough for water. 1t was the same
animal, but what change had taken
place. His head hung almost to the
ground as though be was searching for
something to eat, as he shambled along.
He walked to a feed trough in the
coral without noticing it, and sidled
around the obstruction in a foolish
manner.
AFTER getting a drink he started
back to the open pasture, and to my
intense surprise. walked right through
a wire fence, needless of the barbs
which cut HIM about the fOrelegs and
breast. The ranchmen, who happen
ed to approach at this point, Informed
me that the horse was 1ocoed.' The an
imal reared over backwards, walked into
all kinds of distractions and. seemed
deYoid of an intelligence. At times be
be would prick up his ears and run
wildly about the pasture. but always
he seemed to be searching for some
thing along the ground.
81 was Informed that once an ami
NAL has eaten loco he will not eat any
thing else, but will wander about TO
days looking for the poisonous weed
which, as a rule, is not easy to find, a
! it grows only in spots in small quaint
ties. Nothing will induce the affected
creatures to eat other food, and it i
stated that they simply hunt abou
for the cause of their doom and final
ly die of starvation. A locoed anima
! will perform all sorts of crazy antic
; which would be amusing if not pitt
full. However, they seem to suffer n
pain, unless intense hunger and crav
; ing for the enchanted weed could b
so termed. l have seen horse affect
ed with loco approach rope or site
lying in his path and leap over it wit
as much effort as though it were
house he was trying to Jump Ovel
They frequently turn back somersault
and perform various other equln
gymnastics"
At the botanical division of the u
partment of Agriculture it was learne
: that the government scientists hay
\ made many Investigations into tt
l matter of loco poisoning and thu
many attempts have been made to di
cover an antidote for the effects of Il
| plant. 1t was stated that DIR. V.
klChestnut, OF the botanical division, b
! 1 devoted a great deal OF attention
l this subject for several years past, a.