Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1914-02-06
POISONOUS PLANTS

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agricultural colleges and stockmen's
assemblies on poisonous plants, is
of the opinion that the losses to
stockmen from poisoning are great
er than from any other cause.
DR.. Marsh is in charge of poison
Gus plant investigation Of the bur-
eau Of plant industry, and in coop
Grafton with the Forest Service has
for several years been making
study of the different poisonous
plants on western ranges; their
distribution, relative toxicity,
symptoms and results of their pois-
oning and remedies.
Loco is reputed to have caused
as great loss as 81 100000 annually
to the stockmen of Colorado. Water
hemlock and death camas are even
more violently poisonous, yet more
rare. Although more moderate in
it's effect, larxspur, because Of its
greater abundance and longer sea-
sonaI growth, is considered more
dangerous for cattle on the range
than any other plant. DR.. Marsh
states that sheep are not poisoned
by the larksprr and that horses al
though subject to its poisoning. do
no: eat it readily.
The low larkspur grows generally
about one foot. aid ra :ely two feet
in height, at elevations from 1000
to 5000 feet. The tall Iarkspur is
found at elevations Of 5000 feet
and higher and grows to height
of from four to six feet. and in
Montana and California as high as
six to eight feet. The blossom is
blue and "spur-red", by which the
plant is readily identified. With
the leaf alone it is sometimes con.
fused with aconite or wild geran-
ium.
AS preventives, DR.. Marsh recon-
mends that cattle be kept off from
areas where tall larkspur abounds
until after the plant has blossomed,
when its toxic properties, except in
the seed, largely disappear. The
small larkspur is poisonous how
ever, during the entire period of
its existence. He also recommends
that when it is necessary for cattle
to pass through such areas they
first be we'll filled up and then
permitted to drift in small punches
instead of driven hurriedly: that
small areas be eradicated and larg-
er ones killed out by frequent sheep
grazing.
The animal must eat a quantity
equal to three per cent of its
weight lie. 80 pounds by an animal
weighing 1000 pounds) in order to
produce noticeable effect.
The symptoms are arched back,
lowered head and staggering back
ward movements. Tho animal falls
and is unable to Immediately rise.
1t should be then placed with its
head up hill that the stomach may
pull away from the respiratory or
gans, death usually resulting from
asphyxiation or paralysis of the
respiratory organs, and constipa-
tion.
Cattle poisoned by larkspur
should be kept as quiet as possible,
should be pauncned II bloatng oc.
ours, should not be bled, and iu
many cases can be saved by a cub.
cutaneous injection preferably in
the shoulder, Of physostigmin SAL
icylate, philocarpin hydrochlorid,
and Otrychnine sulphate. These
remedies may usually be secured
in prepared doses from local drug.
gists.
The method Of ersdicating pois-
onous plants by frequent heavy
grazing Of sheep recommended by
DR.. March Is going to be adopted
on the Ruby National Forest next
season.
Sheep will be allowed to Craze
ever the worst poison areas within
cattle allotments but will not be
allowed to Craze over any part Of
the cattle range whose poisonous
plants do not exist in quantities
fatal to cattle.
Nc regular permit will be issued
to the owners Of shet p used for this
purpose, and they may be removed
| from tho cattle ranps at INV titne