LUPINES. 105 



unfed, was examined and found to consist almost exclusively of lupine 

 {Lu2)inus sericeus)^ with full pods containing ripe seeds. At one ranch 

 on Sage Creek two tons of lupine hay was fed to a band of 2,000 

 sheep, with the result that 700 of these sheep died within a period of 

 fort3^-eight hours. In this case the feeder did not believe at first that 

 the lupine was the cause of poisoning. In order, therefore, to show 

 the courage of his convictions he tried the experiment of feeding 

 about 200 pounds of lupine to 50 sheep from another band. Some of 

 these sheep fell dead before finishing their meal, and altogether 28 

 died within a period of twentj'-four hours. As occasion arose the 

 remaining portion of the lupine hay was applied to other purposes. 

 A small quantity was used as a covering for a lamb shed in the follow- 

 ing spring. During a windstorm a part of it was blown off on the 

 ground and eaten b}" a number of rams, 3 of which died. 



At another sheep ranch on Buffalo Creek a band of 2,500 sheep were 

 fed lupine ha}^, and 900 out of this number died within forty-eight 

 hours after eating the hay. The remainder of the stack was left 

 standing, surrounded by a fence. During December, 1899, the fence 

 around the stack became broken down at one point, and another 

 herder, while driving a band of sheep by the stack, allowed a part of 

 the band to enter the inclosure and eat some of the lupine ho^y. The 

 sheep were soon driven out of the inclosure, but manj' of them showed 

 signs of poisoning, and 100 died. In this case, in the same manner 

 as on Sage Creek, a quantity of this hay was used for covering a sheep 

 shed, with the result that some of it blew off and caused the death of 7 

 sheep. 



In Deerlodge Valley an old and experienced sheep raiser suffered a 

 loss of 700 sheep from eating lupine hay. The owner of these sheep 

 had cut lupine hay on the same ground for five or six years, and had 

 fed it without any bad consequences. During these years the hay had 

 alwa5^s been cut during the earlier part of September. The material 

 which caused the disastrous poisoning just mentioned was cut during 

 the first half of July. Only a small part of the lupine which was 

 intended for hay was cut at this early date, other work interfering 

 with hajdng, and the remainder was cut in September. That which 

 was cut at the earlier date was stacked in a temporarj^ manner, and 

 that which was cut in September, therefore, came to occupy the upper 

 portion of the stack and was naturally the first to be fed to the sheep. 

 This hay did not cause any cases of poisoning, but the first feed from 

 the hay which was cut in July caused the death of 700 of the sheep. 

 From this case it is evident that the poisonous or nonpoisonous nature 

 of lupine hay depends partly upon the stage of growth at which it 

 is cut. 



A sheep owner near Birdtail Pass had 500 sheep poisoned from' eat- 

 ing lupine ha}^, 160 of which died. In this case, as in the previous 



