74 STOCK-POISONING PLANTS OF MONTANA. 



mountain ranges and in all the counties of the State which have been 

 mentioned in giving the distribution of that species. The areas 

 in which it grows are in some cases sharply defined, but, in gen- 

 eral, the}^ are not so definite as in the case of the latter species. 

 In the greater number of places where it is abundant, it seems to be 

 impossible to exterminate it by artificial means. 



The purple larkspur is often found growing abundantly in the same 

 situations with death camas, and in general its preferred habitat seems 

 to be the same as that of this species. It does not, however, -occur so 

 abundantly as death camas in the shallow depressions and coulees of 

 the plains. In fact, the purple larkspur is seldom found in situations 

 far removed from foothills and mountains, though these localities 

 seem to be the preferred place of growth for death camas. The soil 

 in which it grows is generally compact and turfy, but it is frequently 

 found in loose soil among shrubs and in scattering woods. The first 

 green leaves begin to appear about the 1st of May or, in early 

 seasons, the latter part of April, and the flowers bloom, accordihg to 

 altitude, anywhere between the early part of May and about the first 

 week in June. The bright purple color of the flowers of this species 

 serves to distinguish it at a considerable distance. Unfortunately, 

 however, this plant is most frequently eaten before the flowering 

 period, and it is, therefore, important for sheep herders to familiarize 

 themselves with the appearance of the leaves, in order that they may 

 be able to recognize the plant in any stage of growth. 



HISTORY AS A POISONOUS PLANT. 



Considerable difference of opinion as to the poisonous character of 

 the purple larkspur exists between stockmen and other persons less 

 financially interested in stock. The majority of the large holders con- 

 sider it poisonous, while others, including men of scientific attainment, 

 assert that stock can eat it, at least to some extent, with impunity. 

 Experiments have been made which show that at one %stage of growth 

 the leaves of another species {D. menziesii) may be safely eaten, to a 

 certain extent, by sheep. Dr. S. B. Nelson, professor of veterinary 

 science in the Washington Agricultural College, in an article entitled 

 Feeding Wild Plants to Sheep, published by the Bureau of Animal 

 Industry of this Department, showed that it is possible to feed as 

 much as 24:f pounds of the fresh leaves of D. menziesii to a sheep 

 within a period of five days without causing any apparent ill effect. 

 The stage of growth of the larkspur was not stated, but, judging from 

 the other experiments described in the same report, it was probably in 

 a well-advanced flowering stage. Dr. Wilcox's experiments, published 

 in the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin, entitled 

 l^arkspur Poisoning of Sheep, show conclusively that the extract from 

 less than an ounce of the dried leaves of the purple larkspur {D. 



