Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1906-05-16
SAYS LOCO WEED 1s EXTREMELY
 POISONOUS. .
(From Sundays Daily.)

Some time ago Dr. W. E. Day sent samples of the loco weed to the De. partmcnt of Agriculture at Washington, and in reply he mas received the fol. lowing communication, which will be of interest to every stockman of nor. thern Arizona:
 The fresh herb of the loco plant, supposed Co be the cause of SO much stock trouble around Prescott, received through your courtesy, has been tested by Dr. Crawford, in charge of our la. boratory of pharmacology, with very interesting results. We have been work. ing with the loco weeds of Colorado for some time past, and have found two varieties very unequal in their poison. ous action. This plant which you sent in is considerably more than twice as poisonous in its action as the most poi. sonous of the Colorado plants thus far studied. I can readily believe that this plant can produce very destructive effects, and produce them much more promptly than would be the case with the other weeds we have studied. This makes the plant one of extremely great interest to us, and shall be glad to have material collected for much more complete study. 1 hope that the matter may still be one of interest to you, and if not too much trouble ] shall be glad to have the following mn. terial preserved for our use.
 Fifty pounds of the dried herb would be the least amount with which we could hope Co make any satisfactory study of the active principle. This ma. tcrial should be cut and dried in the shade, if possible, and when dry cn. ough so as not to mold on the road, packed into bags and sent into Wash ington. In order to make such ship. mont expeditions, as well as incxpcn. sive, it will be necessary to have some one tie up this dried weed into pack. ages not over four pounds each in weight, addressing each package. These franked packages can then be put into the mail bags obtained from the post office, and sent in to this office. This matter of making mp into small pack
 ages is one required by the present post office authorities. Since tho express charges would be considerable for the distance here concerned, l should he glad to use the mail service.
 In order to make another set of experiments. it would be very desir.
 able 10 have the fresh herb chopped up
 and crowded into Mason jars, into which is poured sufficient water to thoroughly moistcn the mass, with n couple of teaspoonfuls of chloroform.
 This chIoroform water will preserve
 the plant very satisfactorily. and when
 the lid is carefully screwed on, the box can be packed carefully and sent in bv
 express.
 We shall be glad to pay n reasonable , rate for such work as is necessary Il , this connection, but hope that it may , not be necessary to meet any consider , able bill on account of the diminished \ state of our appropriation. If thi'
 could be done at n very early date w. should be glad Ia receive the material f and put it into use. Apparently VI 1 have to do here with a very stron, n poisonous principle, the nature of whicl n is unknown, and we should be vor'
 glad. indeed, to work it out.
 , have written Dr. C. Dwight Marsh
 in charge of our work nt Hugo, Colo. Y presenting the situation to him, an'
 recommending that if his work can b |. SO arranged as to permit him to go t' Prescott to look over the situation. h. n should do so. He is the best judge q however, of the matter, and ns he ! q without aid at present nt Hugo. t ] . very likely that he will be unable t e leave his work there.
 a Will you kindly let me know by r' & turn mail. if possible, if you can pu u this material up for us, and if so. wha Q expense we may expect to bear. Hopin :. 10 hear from you promptly on thi
 point, which is one of somo importane n to ms. I remain,
 o R. II. TRUE,
 Physiologist in Charge. , United States Department of Asr
 nnlAnro Rnrnnn nf Plant Indnsfrx