POISONOUS PLANTS 263 



it looks fresh and inviting. Gradually the desire for it 

 takes possession of the brutes until they seem to crave 

 it to the exclusion of all other feed. A locoed cow will 

 hurry over the range from one plant to the next, eating 

 in a feverish haste, and showing not the least desire to 

 touch grass or other forage, so long as there is a bit of 

 loco to be found. 



Remedies. The loco plant may be eradicated from 

 pastures by simply cutting it off under the ground or 

 pulling it up by the roots like any other weed. There 

 has been a general belief all over the West that loco 

 grows up again from the roots and if a single shoot of 

 it is left in the ground it will immediately reproduce 

 itself from that bit. This has been found to be an error. 

 The plant reproduces from both roots and the seed but 

 the growth is from the crown of the root, and therefore 

 if the root is cut off below the crown and before the 

 ripening of the seeds it will not grow again. 



Of course on the open ranges, under the present 

 methods of handling the grazing lands, no attempts at 

 eradication will be made, but if the day ever comes 

 when the open grazing lands are handled by the Federal 

 Government, much as they are now managed on the 

 National Forests, loco will doubtless be eradicated from 

 the ranges on some mutual agreement between the user 

 and the Government. The excellent work of Prof. C. D. 

 Marsh of the Bureau of Plant Industry, who has for 

 several years made a close study of loco right in the 

 field where it grows, proves beyond doubt that there 

 is a remedy, and that animals taken in time may be 

 almost if not entirely cured. The only question is the 

 one of handling the animals. If they are gentle and 

 can be given the remedies, they can be cured. With 



