40 STOCK-POISOISING PLANTS OF MONTANA. 



this course, ssince the range which is abandoned in .summer will be 

 good for winter grazing-. By giving serious attention to the problem 

 of poisonous plants and becoming familiar with the time of the first 

 appearance in the spring, the time of blooming, and the period when 

 they begin to shrivel up, and by bearing in mind the period of growth 

 during which they are poisonous, the stockman will be able so to direct 

 the movements of his animals as to avoid a large proportion of his 

 annual loss. 



KRADICATIOX OF IHIISONOUS PLANTS liY DIGOINO. 



The possibility of eradicating a given plant from a range will depend 

 almost entirely upon the extent of its distribution and upon the defi- 

 niteness and size of the areas upon which it grows. In the case of the 

 tall larkspur, which ordinarily grows in small, well-delined areas, it 

 would be a comparatively simple undertaking to dig up all the speci- 

 mens within the reach of cattle upon the range. On the other hand, 

 it is manifest that plants which are widely distributed and which occur 

 under n variety of conditions of soil and moisture could not ))e exter- 

 minated In' this means. As examples of such plants we may mention 

 the loco weeds and death camas. 



POPULAK METHODS OF TREATIN(J I'OLSONED ANIMALS. 



Serious mistakes have been committed ])y many herders in the care 

 of poisoned sheep. It seems to be frequently assumed that animals 

 which are suti'ering from the effects of poisonous plants must be kept 

 moving under any and all circumstances. In order to do this the herder 

 is forced to make free use of the dog and otherwise worry and excite 

 the sheep. A general principle of great importance in the treatment 

 of poisoned animals is to let them alone as far as possible. Cases of 

 narcotic poisoning may be an exception, but with the ordinary kinds 

 of poisoning the inevitable result of all unnecessary excitement is to 

 exaggerate the symptoms and to precipitate a fatal outcome. It has 

 been noted that among the symptoms of poisoning an increasing rate 

 of respiration and heart beat is especially prominent. Evidently when 

 such symptoms are present it is not advisable to excite the poisoned 

 animals in any manner, since such excitement woidd produce a still 

 higher rate of respiration and pulse. In a serious case of larkspur 

 poisoning of sheep, which occurred in Montana in 1897, it was found 

 that in attempting to hurry the poisoned sheep the severity of the 

 S3'mptoms increased, producing fatal results in many cases in which 

 there would otherwise probably have been recovery. Even where 

 frenzy is the prominent symptom it is probably advisable to allow the 

 animals to move about without restraint except during the admiiiist<n'- 

 ing of remedies. Any interference with the movements of the poisoned 

 animals is especially lial)le to incre^isi' the excitement, already too great 



