4- 6 



SUMMARY 



1. Recent experiments conducted by the Agricultural Experiment 

 Station of the University of Nevada show that under certain condi- 

 tions the grasslike plant commonly known as Arrow-Grass is poisonous 

 to both sheep and cattle. 



2. Arrow-Grass looks -like the common grasses ; and often grows 

 among them in wet soils especially where the ground contains alkali. 



3. Figures 1, 2 and 3 of this bulletin give a good idea of the general 

 appearance of the plant. 



4. Arrow-grass contains an unknown substance, which is sometimes 

 broken up in the stomach of the animal, liberating a deadly poison 

 hydrocyanic ("prussic") acid gas. 



5. Animals fatally poisoned by Arrow-Grass breathe very rapidly at 

 first; they tremble, breathe through the mouth, walk around stiffly, 

 have spasms and go down in convulsions. Later, they breathe more 

 slowly and with increasing difficulty, spasms continuing at intervals 

 until death, which occurs in from half an hour to three hours. 



6. An animal must eat a large dose at one time in order to be 

 poisoned. Small doses eaten at frequent intervals or moderate quanti- 

 ties eaten daily have no harmful effects. 



7. Arrow-Grass cut and dried in hay is far more dangerous and 

 deadly than the green plant. 



8. When the body of an animal dead of Arrow-Grass poisoning is cut 

 up there is little indication of the cause of death. There is usually 

 some congestion of the lungs and of the fourth stomach, but neither 

 condition is characteristic of this plant alone. 



9. Because of the nature of the poison and because death follows 

 poisoning so promptly, there is little hope of finding methods of treat- 

 ing and curing animals seriously poisoned by Arrow-Grass. 



10. Places where Arrow-Grass grows very thickly should be fenced 

 off. Considerable effort should be made to prevent Arrow-Grass from 

 being cut, dried and put up in hay. 



