The Springfield herald., 1906-04-20
TO FIND ANTIDOTE
FOR LOCO WEED

Last year the department of
agriculture began experiments in
this state to test the loco weed
and to gather data proving or
disproving the theories that stock
men have had regarding it. DR..
D. C. Marsh was put in. charge
of the work and established a
station at Hugo, where he fed
stock on the weed.
AS is widely known the loco
weed is supposed to kill stock
that eats it, and one Of the phe-
nomina asserted is that it drives
them crazy. DR.. Marsh has been
in Washington all winter going
over his work during the year
and is now confident that he will
be able to show some good re-
suits. He returned to this state
during the week and will shortly
resume work at Hugo. In speak
ing of it he said:
Il think we can say that we
have been making progress and
have strong hope that by next
winter we can issue a bulletin
that will remove much of the
mystery that has hung over this
weed. We have made some dis
coveries, but until we have
proved our work of last year we
shall not be in position to make
public what these discoveries are.
l shall have an assistant with me
this year, and as our work is cut
out for us we shall be able to
make more progress. We expect
assistance from the state expert
mental station, and by this time
next year, the loco weed should
be an open book"
DIR. Mals'l hopes to make the
loco weed less of bugaboo than
it has formerly been. Many false
theories have been disproved by
the seasons work, and the final
experiments should solve the
mystery that has so long c!ouded
the cause and evil effects that
have followed eating the loco
weed. There have been enor-
nous loses among the stock ev-
cry year and there are vast tracts
of land that are practically
worthless because infected with
the weed. With a full knowl-
edge of the active principle an
antidote should speedily be found.
Denver Republican.
The following result of the loco weed
Investigations last year are published
in the Eighteenth Annual report of the
Colorado Agricultural Experiment sta
tioa. The history of the investigation
should be read by all Interested
l. Locois is spacifc condition and
is associated with at least one species
of plant, Astragallus mo!lsimus (white
loco).
2. Horses and cattle prefer grass
and eat but sparingly Of the weed as
long as grass can be had in quantity to
satisfy hunger.
9. The white loco plant has an cx-
tremely low nutritive value.
4. There are no uniform pathogenic
LESSONS, post mortem or anti mortem.
5. Parasites are found in no greater
quantity than in other emaciated ami
mails. No unusual parasite has been
found and no one pasaste is uniformly
present.
6. The theories as to clot of blood or
serum in the fourth ventricla of the
brain; sand in the stomach; an excess
of aracnoi1 fluid, have no foundation, in
fact. according to the results of autop-
sizes held up to date.
7. A qualitative chemical analysis of
the plant and of the contents of the
stomach containing loco weeds is of-the
greatest Importance.
8. There is no evidence as yet that
stock will eat of loco weeds when grass
is plentiful.
9. Several parasites live upon the
loco weeds and in some places have dew
large areas of the plant.
10. Considering the immense loss to
the live stock industry from the raw
ages of these plants the economic pos
sibility of exterminating them by the