20 STOCK-POISONING PLANTS OF MONTANA. 



{Zygadewus ven&tiosus) are so dry and shriveled by the middle of Julj' 

 that they are absolutely unpalatable to any animal. The water hem- 

 lock {Clcuta occldentalk) does not grow so abundantly in the moun- 

 tains as along the small streams and irrigation ditches of the plains, 

 and becomes so large and coarse bj'^ the time mentioned that it is 

 scarcely ever, if at all, eaten by sheep. The tall larkspur {D. glaucum), 

 so far as our observations go, does not grow on the plains in any part 

 of Montana, and is too coarse to be eaten by sheep during the season 

 from July to October. The sheep owners have found by experience 

 that these mountain ranges which are so extremely dangerous for sheep 

 during the early summer are quite safe during the months from July 

 to September, inclusive. 



The safety of the mountain ranges, however, is somewhat affected 

 by the presence of species of lupines. These plants are poisonous 

 during certain stages, especially when containing ripe seeds. It is of 

 interest to observe that sheep seldom eat lupine on the range during 

 midsummer. If, however, they do eat it at a time when the seeds 

 are ripe, it invariably causes disastrous poisoning. After the early 

 fall frosts the pods of this plant rapidly open and the seeds fall out 

 upon the ground. After this period it seems that the plants may be 

 eaten with impunity by sheep or other animals. Occasionally, how- 

 ever, the seeds are retained in considerable numbers in the pods until 

 October or even November. A number of serious losses of sheep 

 have been due to eating lupines in this condition after early fall snow- 

 storms have covered the other forms of vegetation on the range. On 

 account of the fact that cattle and horses are for the most part allowed 

 to run freely upon the open range, the distinction between the summer 

 and winter range in the case of these animals is not so important as in 

 the case of sheep. Many cattlemen take advantage of the fall and 

 spring round-ups to direct their cattle and horses to a range near the 

 home ranch in winter and farther away in sununer. The fact that 

 horses and cattle are not herded like sheep prevents any arrangement 

 such as that already mentioned as being commonlv adopted in the 

 management of sheep. 



EFFECT OF ALKALI ON STOCK. 



A considerable difference of opinion prevails among stock I'aisers 

 as to the phvsiological effect of alkali upon stock. A number of them 

 still insist that the ordinary alkali found in the soil or around the 

 borders of alkali lakes is a complete and perfect substitute for common 

 salt. On the other hand an equally- large and apparently increasing- 

 number of stockmen believe that alkali can under no conditions take 

 the place of salt in the animal economy. 



In discussing the loco problem, attention will be called to the pos- 

 sible influence of alkali in predisposing animals to the loco habit. In 



