248 STOCK-POISOXIXG PLANTS AND THEIR CONTROL 



almost any vegetation. This frequently results in astounding 

 losses. 



The same bad effects are Hable to follow if sheep are bedded 

 for several nights in the same place. As they leave the bed 

 ground the first morning or two they naturally take the best 

 feed. On subsequent mornings they are liable to devour poison- 

 ous plants to such an extent as to produce a fatal result. Both 

 as a measure of safety against losses from poisonous plants and 

 as a means of protecting the range, it is much better to use a new 

 bed ground every night. The blanket method of bedding down 

 sheep, and open, quiet herding are by far the safest practices. 



If cattle are being moved over a driveway, care should be 

 taken that they do not pass over larkspur areas when they are 

 very hungry. Hungry cattle, like sheep, will snatch eagerly 

 at almost any vegetation along their path, and under such con- 

 ditions larkspur is tempting. Neither cattle nor sheep should 

 be hurried on the drive. If they are permitted to drift along 

 leisurely, they will spread out and select their food with reason- 

 able care. A large proportion of the losses among cattle and 

 sheep occur because the animals are driven in compact masses 

 over poison areas, whereas there would be practically no losses 

 if the animals were drifted across. 



Established driveways are much more liable to contain poi- 

 sonous plants than are driveways used occasionally. Although 

 it is not always possible to avoid the use of fixed driveways, 

 their use may sometimes be alternated from year to year, and 

 in this way a fair supply of forage may be maintained. If 

 this is not possible, an established driveway should be provided 

 with camps where feed and water are available. The number 

 of camps should be carefully determined on the basis of the 

 number of animals that are to pass over the driveway each season. 



QUESTIONS 



1. How do the losses from poisonous plants in the West compare with those 

 caused by diseases and by predatory animals? 



2. (a) Approximately how many cattle and sheep die annually on National 

 Forest range from poisonous plants? (b) How do such losses compare with 

 those chargeable to poisonous plants on grazing grounds in the West generally? 



