104 STOCK-POISONING PLANTS OF MONTANA. 



lupine hay during the second half of July. In the winter of 1897 a 

 band of 150 bucks belonging to the same sheep raiser were kept in a 

 covered corral and were fed on cultivated hay. On one afternoon 

 during the winter these bucks were given a liberal quantity of the 

 lupine hay. About three hours after feeding this hay a nois}"^ disturb- 

 ance was noticed among the sheep. Upon investigation the owner 

 found the sheep in a frenzied condition, and during the night about 

 90 of them died. No more lupine ha}^ was fed and no more trouble 

 was experienced. 



In August, 1898, a horse came under our own observation two 

 hours after having eaten a liberal quantity of kipine hay. The horse 

 became violently ill with symptoms of lupine poisoning, from which 

 it recovered after three days. The history of this case was similar 

 to that of 3 2-3^ear-old colts, which, after receiving cultivated hay 

 during the greater part of the winter of 1897, were fed on lupine hay 

 for two daj^s. All of these died on the second day. 



During October, 1898, serious losses of sheep from lupine poisoning 

 occurred in various parts of the State, aggregating about 2,000. 

 About 1,150 died out of a single band of 2,500 sheep, and a number 

 of large losses from the same cause occurred in other parts of the 

 State. These cases occurred just after a snowstorm, while the grass 

 and other plants were covered, the sheep being compelled to eat the 

 lupine as the only plant which stood above the snow at the time. A 

 number of the localities were carefully examined and lupine was 

 found to be the most abundant plant excepting the grass. A study 

 was made of the stomach contents of poisoned sheep, and in all cases 

 lupine was found to be almost the only food material. The stems, 

 leaves, pods, and seeds of this plant were identified in the stomach 

 contents. The great abundance of pods and seeds was especiallj^ 

 noticeable. Ordinarily the lupine pods split open and the valves 

 become twisted in such a manner that nearl}^ all of the seeds fall out 

 upon the ground. For some reason an unusuallj^ large quantity of 

 seeds had this season been retained in the pods until winter. 



During the winter of 1898-99 over 3,600 sheep died from eating 

 lupine hay. This number of deaths occurred among about 7,000 

 sheep which were affected. The average death rate in investigated 

 cases of lupine poisoning is therefore about 50 per cent. In all cases 

 where severe losses occurred, the lupine had been cut at a much earlier 

 date than usual, the dates given by different sheep men ranging from 

 July 1 to July 20. During this season the lupines had formed an 

 unusual quantity of pods. At the early date at which the hay was cut 

 the seeds were fully formed, but the pods were not yet dry enough to 

 open and scatter the seeds. 



The most extensive losses of sheep from feeding hay occurred in 

 the Judith Basin. In all cases the hay, a part of which had been left 



