331 



of the localities where found. It occurs on high and low, wet and dry lands. Animals are 

 Bot fond of it at first, or don't seem to be, but, after they get accustomed to the taste, they 

 are crazy for it, and will eat little or nothing else when the loco can be had. There seems to 

 be little or no nutriment in it, as the animal invariably loses flesh and spirit. Even after 

 eating of it they may live for years, if kept entirely out of its reach, but if not they almost 

 invariably eat of it until they die. I sent to Bakersfield for the specimen of loco, as it does 

 not grow just here. The rattle- weed, of which I send a sample, seems to be a kindred plaat 

 and of the same nature, producing nearly the same effect. It grows in this locality in abun- 

 dance. This also flourishes on the mountains and in the valleys, on wet or dry land, but is 

 confined to certain counties, or is not found in all parts of the State. If eaten freely of at 

 first, the animals sometimes die in three days, but sometimes live two or three weeks, and, 

 as with the loco, if but little i seaten, and the animals are kept from it, they may possibly get 

 over its effects. 



I also send you a sample of milk-weed, which grows in abundance here. Old settlers say 

 that it is very poisonous to sheep, and when eaten produces death within two or three hours, 

 the sheep bloating very rapidly until it dies. 



The specimen sent as milk-weed does not appear to be of the Asclepim 

 family, but is too young to be satisfactorily determined. It appears, 

 however, to be one of the CoinposiUe, probably a species of Stephanome- 

 ria, somewhat similar to our wild lettuce {Lactuca.) 



Subsequently to the reception of the specimens above named, the 

 Department made application to another correspondent in Bakersfield, 

 California, who has sent us well-prepared specimens of what is called 

 loco and also of the rattle-weed. These specimens were submitted to 

 Dr. Gray, who decides the former to be Astragalus Hornii, Or., and th© 

 latter to be Astragalus lentiginosus, var. Fremontii. This correspon- 

 dent has had practical experience with these plants, having lost by their 

 poisonous effects a large number of horses and other stock. He entirely 

 confirms the account of symptoms and effects previously given. 



FACTS FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES. 



Whisky from Moss. — The Department of State has forwarded t9 

 this Department a communication from Mr. C. C. Andrews, represent- 

 ative of the United States at Stockholm, respecting the production of 

 whisky, in Sweden, from lichen or reindeer moss. The manufacture 

 was begun in 1863, by a process invented by a Swedish chemist, Pro- 

 fessor Stenberg. For six years the quantities of moss used, and ©f 

 whisky — 50 per cent, alcohol — produced, were as follows : 



Mr. Andrews states that the falling off in production is owing partly 

 to the abundance of other materials for whisky, such as potatoes and 

 grain, and partly to the increasing difiSculty of procuring the moss. 



Experiments with Potatoes. — Mr. J. V. H. Scovel, of Paris, 

 Oneida County, New York, sends the following report of his experi- 

 ments with potatoes : 



I send the result of some experiments in the culture of potatoes, made the past season, 

 1873. We are too apt to accept conclusions which appear plausible or reasonable without 



