266 WESTERN GRAZING GROUNDS AND FOREST RANGES 



The lupines are found in the mountain valleys and 

 hay meadows, and are cut for hay in large quantities 

 all over the western country, making an excellent grade 

 of hay that is relished by all classes of stock. But the 

 feeding of it has been attended with disastrous results, 

 especially in the case of sheep. A careful study of the 

 subject has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the 

 poisonous matter is contained in the ripe seeds. Hence 

 if the lupine can be cut for hay either before the seed 

 pods have fully formed and ripened or after they have 

 ripened and the pods have opened and dropped the dan- 

 gerous seeds, there is no injury from feeding it. When 

 the plant is young it is eaten without bad effect and is 

 eagerly sought by all kinds of stock. 



There are several different lupines and all should be 

 considered under suspicion when the seed is ripe. 

 Owing to its extensive growth there is little hope of 

 eliminating the lupine through its destruction or by 

 sowing seeds of other forage plants, as it is very 

 tenacious and will hold its own against them under 

 ordinary range conditions. 



Death Camas (Zygadenus venenosus.) This plant, 

 sometimes erroneously called lobelia, is found only in 

 Montana, Idaho, South Dakota, eastern Oregon, Wash- 

 ington, northern California and parts of Utah. In these 

 regions it is the most destructive plant that grows. It 

 is injurious to all stock, but more especially sheep. In 

 the early spring its leaves are so much like the leaves 

 of the young grasses that stock presumably is unable 

 to recognize it. The poisonous matter seems to be as 

 great in the leaves as in the roots, hence it is almost 

 impossible to guard against its being eaten excepting 

 by herding stock away from well-known infested areas. 



