The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-08-04
PLANTS POISONOUS TO LIVE
STOCK IN MISSOURI

Jefferson City, MO-, July o1.-DoS-
ton David Franklin Luckey, Live
Stock Commissioner Of the st. Louis
live stock market, for more than 20
years State Veterinarian of the Mis-
souri, Board of Agriculture, makes
the following statement on Plants
Poisonous to Live Stock in Missouri:
There are a great many plants IN
Missouri-too numerous to mention
that are poisonous if stock would eat
them. Jimson weed is an example.
The seeds are poisonous but are sell
dom, if ever, eaten. Either the oD-
! iectionable taste Of the plant or the
natural instinct of the animals keep
them from eating the poisonous ones
found in Missouri, except when
pressed by hunger.
An outstanding fact is that the
best bred cattle in the herd-that is,
the best eaters-are so nearly always
the ones affected Scrawnyr poor
feeders are scarcely ever hurt, except
possibly in cases of wild-cherry
| leaves.
In twenty years of observation, l
have known of two cases of cattle
being poisoned on young cockle-burs,
one case of horses poisoned on GRO,
talaria or rattle-box in the hay, and
only a few cases of cattle poisoned
on the wilted leaves of the wild-cherry
/ tree.
| | have heard of many cases of
hogs dying shortly after having ac-
cess to a patch of young cockle-burs.
The young burs set up violent IN
flammation of the entire digestive
tract. Pigs are said to roll and squal
from the pain. If eaten in sufficient
quantities, they are sure to produce
death.
The rattle-box, a sort of pea with q
round black pod, found in the hay IN
some parts of Missouri, is a narcotic
| It produces chronic drowsyness with
stretching and yawning. If con-
sumed over too long a period of time
| the horse will gradually go down anc
eventually die.
1 When the limb of a green wild
cherry tree blows off, and the leaves
wilt, prussic acid develops. Cattl'
eat a bite or two and drop dead.
. Under certain conditions, sorghum
Indian corn, wild COW peas, common
J red clover and timothy and oat stub
: bles are very poisonous. When tn
growth of sorghum or corn is stunt
, ed by drouth, prussic acid develops il
the stalk. Stalk fields are Away
dangerous, following dry season
! Sorghum often develops so much 0
!, this poison that d few bites will XII
COW. Both lose the poisonous pro
perty after being cut and cured.
: Wild COW peas grow voluntarily i
a a few black bottoms in Southeas
! Missouri. Heavy rains during tn
S growing season, sufficient to seal
and stunt the growth of the vint
: cause the development of prussic aci
: in the pea. ] knew one firm to los
I $50 cattle in three weeks from eatin
g this wild pea.
Over-ripe red clover, during we
3 season, is poisonous, either in tn
r field or the NOW. 1t produces a crack
4 ing and soreness Of the skin, especial
Z ly on the thighs, udder, abdomen an
mouth. A COW will kick at the abdc
K men.
2 Timothy and oat stubble, following
: light shower after a very dry sun
I mer, develop a mould that is ruiz
It GUS to sheep and lambs. The eai
+ first swell and drop, then dry up.
k sticky discharge gums up the eye
! and nose. The membranes of the ey
!. turn yellow. Death is the usual n
suit. Altogether, the damage dope b
IS useful farm crops when they do b,
a come poisonous is thousand fol
e greater than that done by plants thi
: are naturally poisonous.
III Rev. and Mrs. ]. w. Borah, of M;
i. olewood, drove in from their presel
e some in Maplewood last Friday ev
e ring for visit with old Farmingtc
| friends, where Rev. Borah former
# was pastor of the M. e. Church. The
l. left Tuesday on their return HON
II -. u a a = .4r4 = Z