The Ordway new era., 1907-06-21
poisnous Plants.

Omen range conditions prevail In
Colorado, and will for many years 20
come. Among the many di9lcuIties
with which the ranchman has 70 con-
tend Is that OF poisonous plants. II
Is roughly estimated that the annual
loss Ia this state from four or nve spe-
cies OF these weeds amounts TO some
thing like 100000. In the eastern
| part OF the state, 1t is largely = loco
weed proposition. In the mountain
Gus districts 1t is larkspur, camas,
parsnip and monks hood. There are
a few others that cause an occasional
loss, but 1t is presumed that the spe-
cies mentioned are responsible for %
per cent OF II. In the category OF
plant species, from the largest troe
down to bacteria, Wa lind certain spe.
cies that secrete a deadly poison. or
the largest species, the wild oak, the
withered leaves OF certain species OF
wild cherry, and the laurel, may be
mentioned as examples.
or the smaller plants, we have the
seeds OF the lupin, the nightshades,
the hemlock. the false hellebore, aeon
Il ite, the COW cookie, and many more.
A little lower in the scale, we have
the fungi, the deadly amanite.
At the Bottom OF the scale comes
| bacteria. In which there are innumer-
| able species that secrete their deadly
toxins. Ptomain poisoning is caused
from the toxins secreted in meats and
vegetables; In this instance, while
the cooking OF the food destroys the
bacteria, 1t does not destroy their In
furious products, which are secreted
before cooking. 1t is the secretion
OF the germ in the case OF diphtheria
that causes paralysis. In tetanus, 1t
is the products OF the germ which af-
feet the nerve .centers, producing the
tetanic spasms OF the muscles. In tu-
berculolosis, the toxin secreted by the
germs is accountable for the extreme
weakness and for the hectic flush on
the check.
In blood poisoning, resulting often
from the slightest wound, IL is the
product OF the germ poisoning the
system, and not the germs themselves
which produce the fever. the local
swelling, and the other dangerous
symptoms. The products secreted by
| the germs are In nature similar to the
active principle found In plants higher
up In tue vegetable Kingdom. They
are the most deadly poisons known.
DIR. George II. Glover, veterinarian
and bacteriologist at the Colorado Ag-
ricultural College, has just returned
from locality on the western slope,
where - head OF cattle died from eat
ing camwas. Reports of losses from
different poisonous plants are fire.
quently sent In from various sections
of the state. IL is indeed serious
problem. These plants can not be
eradicated, as they cover too large an
area, There are n few Instances, how
ever, In the case of monks hood and
clmas especially, which grow in GER
tain areas where 1t has been possible
and profitable TO dig them up; but In
the case OF our two worst range enc
mics, the loco weed and the larkspur,
this entirely impracticable, and well
nigh impossible.
Again, 1t is almost useless to talk
about antidotes and remedies, Us most
OF this poisoning occurs when live
stock are unattended, miles from the
ranch, alone in their death agony.
Many ranges, otherwise valuable, have
been abandoned and the owner has
become bankrupt on account OF the
ranges being infested with larkspur
or loco weed.
About the only thing we have been
able to accomplish in the way Of inves.
tigating these plants has been by edu-
eating the stock men as to their iden-
tity and by pointing out the time Of
year when certain species are most
deadly and In many cases can be avoid
ed by keeping stock oil such ranges.
There is certain to be more or less loss
from poisonous plants as long as this
condition exists. Geo. II. Glover.
| E,,II 1tpa ccrnan dnprc hipnac u,;ro