106 STOCK-POISONING PLANTS OF MONTANA. 



one, the sheep raiser had had some experience in feeding- lupine hay, 

 but had never before had any losses. The hipine was cut in Jul}^, at a 

 time when the seeds were still contained in the pods. 



The evidence in regard to lupine hay proves conclusively that such 

 hay is exceedingl}^ dangerous when cut in full pod, with ripe seeds. 

 The experience of a number of sheep men indicates, on the other hand, 

 that lupine cut late in the season, after the seeds have fallen out, may be 

 fed to sheep with impunity. The case referred to in the Deerlodge 

 Valley may be cited as proof of both propositions. Experiences sim- 

 ilar to this have been had b}^ a number of sheep raisers in other parts 

 of the State. On Buffalo Creek, in the Judith Basin, a quantity of 

 lupine hay growing near that which caused the loss of 900 sheep, 

 already referred to, was cut in September of the same year, and was 

 fed to sheep without causing any poisoning. 



Instances have already been related of sheep poisoning from eating 

 lupine while growing upon the range, and other instances have been 

 noted of sheep eating lupine upon the range without becoming poi- 

 soned. In these experiences, as in those with lupine hay, the general 

 conclusion is indicated that lupine is poisonous only when containing 

 ripe seeds. Our observations and experiments show conclusively that 

 lupines are harmless during the earlier stages, before the pods have 

 been formed, and also during the later stages, after the seeds have 

 fallen out. Lupine hay cut during the month of July seems to be 

 exceedingly dangerous. It would obviously be impossible to state in 

 advance the actual dates at which lupines become poisonous, and the 

 date in the fall at which they cease to be poisonous. Since, therefore, 

 it is practically impossible to define these periods accurately, it would 

 seem doubtful wisdom to cut lupine for hay at all, at least where other 

 hay can be obtained. 



A few other serious cases of sheep poisoning from eating lupine on 

 the range may be briefly described. In one case a few carloads of 

 sheep, which were shipped by train, were unloaded near the Mullen 

 Tunnel, at an altitude of about 6,000 feet. The shipment was made in 

 July, and at the time when the sheep were unloaded they were in a 

 ravenousl}^ hungry condition. As lupines constituted the most con- 

 spicuous forage material accessible to the sheep, they filled their 

 stomachs with them, eating great quantities of the pods. Within a 

 few hours a large number of the sheep showed the symptoms of 

 poisoning and 400 died. 



During the same month a band of 2,000 sheep was trailed over the 

 Birdtail Pass. Lupines grew abundantly in this locality, and the 

 sheep fed almost exclusively on these plants. About 1,000 of these 

 exhibited signs of poisoning, and 700 of them died from the effects of 

 lupine. 



Perhaps the most disastrous case of sheep poisoning ever known in 



