The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-02-19
SHEPHERD PIONEER
Of INVESTIGATING
CATTLE POISONING
Symptoms at First Ascribed to
Dehorning and Baftled Re-
search Long Time
AFFECTS RABBITS ALSO
Scientists Likewise Found Flax
Wilt a Hard Problem, but
Bred Resistant Type
AFFECTS RABBITS ALSO

0IAllU TUIAS, n. LIZ ECU. A0.-OVCA-
looking a host of research problems
conducted by himself, DR.. J. H.
shepperd. acting president Of North
Dakota Agricultural college. chose two
Of his associates projects, one on flax
wilt and one On cattle poisoning by
sweet clover hay, to illustrate some OF
the problems confronting the inves-
tigator before the University Of Pro-
lessons association meeting In Grand
Forks recently.
"As q student In the University Of
Minnesota In 1880, I met DR.. Otto
Lugar, then entomologst and botan-
list at that institution. who found flax
plants whiting when at q height OF
three to four inches" DR.. Shepperd
told his audience. A series Of expert
ments was carried on by DR.. Dugar,
and he finally concluded that the
trouble came from something alive.
Three years passed by and Dr.. Lugar
did nothing more with this study 80
far as Dr.. ahepperd could learn, but
the Minnesote scientist had left him
curious.
Took M Problem 1t Fargo
In 1893 DR.. shepperd came to North
Dakota Agricultural college, and at
that time announced to Professor =.
+. Ladd, chemist, and II. L. Bolley,
plant pathologist, that he was going
to produce DR.. Luger's flax wilt
trouble at Fargo. In seven years time
he apeodpced badly uilte6 flAx.
Long years OF tr4Alf With flax witt
by DIR. Holley were finally rewarded
with Q wilt resistant flax which would
yield flax on flax sick land. Profes-
sor Bolley found, according to DR.
Shepperd, that such varieties as the
NDR-ll4 and NDR-52 produced at
the college retain the wilt resistance
in Holland, Ireland, Japan and many
sothers foreign countries.
Z Now DR.. G. I. Nelson. bacteriologist
at the college. has been at work foE
some time trying to find what factors
are present in resistent flax plants
which are not found In non-resist-
ant ones. His studies have led him
into an intricate investigation Of the
protein substances which he. haa
separated and classified. Oh. Nelson
has made marked progress by follow
ing his hypothesis that tmmunolo9y
in plant life would occur through the
protein substance as In animal life.
Solve Bleeding Deaths
In 1922 DR.. A. F. Schalk, head OF
the veterinary department at North
Dakota Agricultural college, began to
iget reru5tet 81. cattle bleeding to death
yfrom dehotning OF from other minor
wounds and Of occasional heavy
losses In herds where no cuts or In
juries were received. The symptoms
were always similar and usually fatal,
according to Dr.. Shepperd. The sick
beasts became stiff, sometimes lost
blood from the nose, their joints
sswelled. and swellings appeared on the
hack3 thighs. shoulders or necks'
Suspicion fell to sweet clover and was
finally laid at the door OF spoiled
sweet clover hay.
The experiments carried on by DR..
schalk with cattle poisoned by sweet
clover hay proved the suspicious cor
rect, but only after many trials and
checks. Rabbits were found suscep-
tible to the disease, and were use with
c to determine II q certain
mouldy sweet clover hay was unfit for
cattle.
In concluding his talk DR.. Shep-
perd pointed out that q person en-
gagged In research Is supported and
sustained by his eternal search Ton
truth and Is consoled by the fact that
the true sci-.tist rejoices as much IN
the NEGATIVE as in positive results.