90 Forestry Quarterly 



the losses of live stock in the United States from the plant, going 

 into the pharmacological side of the effects of the plant upon 

 different classes of stock, symptoms of poisoning and a number of 

 practical remedies, with tables showing the results of detailed 

 experiments with death camas upon stock. The publication is 

 intended to supply general information on the relation of Zyga- 

 denus to the losses of live stock on the western ranges, and is 

 suited for distribution throughout the western one-third of the 

 United States. A complete description of the poisonous species 

 of Zagadenus is given, with plates, showing the visual charac- 

 teristics of the plant. Zygadenus is known commonly through- 

 out the West by a large nimiber of names, as death camas, lobeHa, 

 soap plant, alkaH grass, water lily, squirrel food, wild onion, 

 poison sego, poison sego lily, mystery grass and hog's potato. 

 Nine species of Zygadenus are known to be poisonous. The 

 species is found very widely distributed throughout the United 

 States and even as far north as Alaska. The plants are most 

 abundant from the Rocky Mountains west to the Pacific Coast, 

 and so are of importance and interest to forest officers in the West, 

 since the annual loss of live stock on the National Forests from this 

 plant is considerable. 



The results of the extensive experiments with the plant on 

 different kinds of stock are given in detail. Hogs apparently 

 eat the bulbs with no bad effects; cases of cattle dying from eating 

 the death camas are not common; many cases of horses being 

 made sick from it have been reported, but deaths are rare; while 

 sheep are most frequently poisoned, due, the authors think, to 

 sheep being close herded on areas where death camas is found. 

 There have been cases — not a few — of children being poisoned 

 from eating the bulbs. 



Experimental work has been carried on in Colorado for five 

 seasons to show the effect of Zygadenus poisoning on different 

 classes of stock, and in Montana for three seasons. The tables 

 showing the methods used in this experimental work and the 

 results are of practical interest. The S5niiptoms observable in 

 different classes of stock experimented on are of distinct value to 

 forest officers and live stock owners as well. Some 12 remedies 

 for death camas poisoning are given, with practical suggestions 

 how to prevent losses of stock, the important thing being the 

 ability to recognize the plants and keep stock away from them. 



The bulletin concludes with a bibliography of literature cited. 



J. D. G. 



