264 WESTERN GRAZING GROUNDS AND FOREST RANGES 



range stock, however, the administering of the remedies 

 is almost an impossibility, except at a prohibitive cost in 

 time and labor. The remedies used by Prof. Marsh 

 and the manner of administering them are given at the 

 end of this chapter under the general head of remedies. 



Larkspur (Delphinium). This plant probably comes 

 next to loco in its ravages among stockmen's herds. 

 The losses are confined almost entirely to cattle, sheep 

 seldom or never touching the plant. For this reason a 

 range when it is abundant may safely be grazed by 

 sheep and need not be abandoned because of Larkspur. 

 It is found all over the western region, growing in the 

 open park-like places of the foothills and mountain 

 ranges. There are several species, and according to the 

 best authorities the genus is not well divided, and needs 

 study and revision. All of the various kinds should, 

 however, be considered suspicious. The principal 

 species are tall larkspur (Delphinium glaucum) and 

 purple larkspur (bicolor). 



Tall larkspur grows to a height of from three to six 

 feet. In its early growth it is frequently mistaken for 

 wild geranium (Geranium viscosissimum). It is also 

 classed as aconite (Aconitum columbianum). It can be 

 easily identified by the leaves, those of the larkspur 

 being almost perfectly smooth, while those of the gera- 

 nium are more or less hairy. 



Purple larkspur seldom grows to a height of over ten 

 inches. It bears a lovely purple blossom. The differ- 

 ence in size, together with the color of the blossom, 

 affords a ready means of distinguishing between the 

 two plants. The flowers of the tall larkspur are blue. 

 Before they blossom the larkspurs may be mistaken 

 for red false mallow (Malvastrum coccineum), but the 



