The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-12-28

" lt ~ w W FA'NfF -
Mexico cattle and hOrscmen at this
time. Many experts claim that IL can
be eradicaied by concerted action.
The question Of providing plans aud
executing them Tor the eradication III
this menace are to be taken up ut the
national convention OF Cattle
Horse Growers. which will start at
Denver In January.
l.. V. Medley, member Of the exc
cutiyc board of the New Mexico Cattle
and Horse Growers association. has
prepared "A report on the subject OF
the loco weed In New Mexico and Will
submit, II for consideration ut the nJ-
tionni convention.
The report Is as follows:
During the thirty years that ] have
resided In New Mexico. there has ever
been the menace OF the loco weed; and
the stocSman. tru to his type icon
s~crvative and slow TO recognize the
possibilities of united effort has ac-
ccptcd this, together with many other
things. as an inevitable handicap TO
his business. But during recent years.
the stOckman has been slowly awak-
ening TO the fact that other business
are uniting aud doing things through
the efforts OF the many rather a as
individuals. and tha' In union there
a. strength.
Il am not we'll posted as TO all tho
localities where this loco weed h
found, but know that wherever
found, IL Is 1 menace to the stock
man. and I believe that the time Is
rlp for ua to make an effort to eradt-
cate this Zoe uf the stock industry. and
having had some experience a. the
doing AVA with this poisonous plant.
! am asking YOU to give attention to
this rcpart.
Thirteen years ago. I had q small
pasture VI perhaps so acres which J
used for keeping my winter Horses.
That spring, 1905, ! found thu this
pasture was fun OF what Is called in
our. locality the blue loco md no.
ticed tia, my horses were becoming
lococd. I took an ordinary miners
shovel and chopped out the we"d In
this pasture. and have watched u
closely since and there has never been
any noticeable return of loco. In 1915
In a pasture containing approximately
eight sections. my father hired a crew
Of men to chop the loco out, paying
them 9dc per hundred plants. cach
plant TO be cut clo the main stem,
or showing two inches or more OF the
tap root. This pasture was cleared OF
loco, and t.."re has been very little
show 81 the weed since. This job cost
something over t500. and the loco
covered perhaps one-fourth OF the
pasture. or 1850 acres. that would
mean that on this 1850 acres there
were I. 900. 900 loco plants or approx
mately sac plants To the acre. Thi'
was the wide spreading loco that We
call a. rattle weed. and IL cover
about two square feet of space TO tbs
plant. therefore. about one ~ cntietf
of each acre was covered with thi'
weed. That would mean that on TIM
1880 acres of forest land, there wa
expended nearly 50 pet acre which b
- .ta 80 FI.. anufsh -
Of state lands adjoining have NJ
doubt that the loco can he destroy &c
AZ q much lower figure than this. bu
Of one thing I am sure. that SOM
method must be n viii he tound foi
the eradication OF this weed. ] lee
that this method rs u sure one, and
where 4, is found on national fOres
land. ! think II IN hut Just that IN
forest service should take over tn
Job OF destroying the weed. This yea
we will pay 10 the forest service y
per head for the privilcge OF graHihi
our cattle on the national forest. ana
In view OF the fact that this has heei
"a wet winter and very favorable to IN
growth OF loco. am anticipating nav
ing To chop loco on the national Tor
49,, to the tune OF about $3.50 to ,
Der acre In addition 10 that dollar pc
head paid for my grazing permit.
THE loco weed. ! am positive WI
not come up from the root where
has been cut two inches below IN
surface Of the ground. and II taxes
lot of moisture to terminate the seed
50 that We Of New Mexico can eNper
. big crop Of loco only after We hav
had plenty ~ rain and snow durlh
the preceding eight months. The 10
60 Begins e. show o December
and lies almost dormant until ah"u
March IS. and then starts GROWN
...llIr INN flt. fiFst nf AnFll or Hrs
OF MAJ Il Is in fun bloom That is tn
time when We have no other gre"
stuff aud naturally the cattle tax" I
whatever they find that is green.
need not. | think. describe the effect
OF loco on castle and horses, for lee
iieve II II now very generally under
stood. am indebted To Dr. 9 !
Marsh of the department OF agricul
ture for the Information regnrdln
termination of the loco seed, MtNih
had q conference with him In III las
during your 1919 convention IN
Information confo ms 90 my own ol
s.ryatIoUs since. There is one pom
howeyer. regarding the effects az IL
co tina. ! wish to bring 10 your after
tinn. that Of the shortage OF call cr"i
for al least one season after a zoe
wear This point WAS also brought
my attention by " Marsh
have since found II 10 DE q lh'
nrOukn NY own NNH'l NHhN''f -
crops will fall off from % toi3o pc
cent aftcr a loco season, The last u
co season was in 1915, and a shortae
OF calves resulted In 1911, ! am yer
sure that II was largely due IN mo-
j places 10 loco. since there was pieni
Of grass during the breeding season
1916, and all other conditions locke
favorable 60 a normal calf crop
1917. had some herds under obhel
walton az that time and know II To I
a fact that these herds suffered ~
per cent mentioned before GO 10 %
and. knowing az did that all cor
ditlons with tho exception of IN" loo
were favorable. / feel justiiled in aa'
ing that loco was the main cause
this shortage of calves.
"My observations have been mae
on national forest lands, .apd no
my experience In dealing with the o
ficials Of the national forests, ! ie
assured thai we . depend upon me
Willingness to DO anything IN reaho
FOR the preservation Of the gia1lf
lands within the forests nave iout
them very courteous and READY 20 COZ
slider anything on which they he'
authority 10 ant From the iniorni'