5* 



The means thus taken to save the lives of poisoned animals 

 are preventive rather than curative, and though remedies in the 

 form of antidotes, that would neutralise the poison in the blood, or 

 before it has had time to be absorbed into the blood, would be 

 most desirable, yet in the long run prevention is better than cure, 

 and is the wisest method of coping with the evil. Keeping the 

 siek beasts at perfect rest, and denying them water, hinders the 

 process of poisoning, and may be considered preventive, but 

 evacuation of the stomach and bowels of their contents would stay 

 its further action. An antidote that would kill the poison would be 

 of the greatest value, but it would be better still to prevent stock 

 feeding on the plants. In taking stock through country in which 

 poison plants grow, means should be adopted to prevent them 

 browsing on these bushes. Mr. C. R. Fenwick says : "Sheep and 

 stock may be taken through growing poison without harm, if 

 proper precautions are taken. Some shepherds lose no sheep from 

 the poisons, others lose lose large numbers. It will be found that 

 many of the greatest losses of sheep and stock have been occasioned 

 through neglect and inattention on the part of the shepherds. 

 Various devices and remedies are adopted, full particulars of which 

 should be ascertained." 



ERADICATION. 



More effective still would be the eradication of the poison- 

 plants. This would literally strike at the root of the evil, and when 

 accomplished would save all further trouble. Those who have 

 given their opinions regarding their extermination do not express 

 any doubt as to its feasibility, and it seems to be only a question ot 

 labor, which has its money equivalent in so much per acre. The 

 plants grow in the form of shrubs, mostly of small size, or herbs, 

 and pulling them up by the root, chopping them down, or grubbing, 

 is simple enough and effectual. These operations should, of course, 

 be carried out at such time and season as will most effectually kill 

 the plants with the least expenditure of labor. Chopping down 

 soon after the growth of the young shoots or seedlings, and before 

 the formation of the seed, may be very effectual ; if not, grubbing 

 may be carried out. Exposure of the uprooted plants to the sun 

 in dry or hot weather would help in their destruction, but, to make 

 sure, all should be removed and burned, especially if any seed is 

 likely to have formed. The constant turning over of the soil in culti- 

 vation will secure their extermination, but the land so treated 

 would only be a fractional part of the infested area. The soil 

 in which the poison-plants naturally grow is mostly of a poor 

 character and unlikely to give a proportionate return for labor 

 expended on it, so that their eradication is likely to be slow 

 and imperfect, unless special efforts are made with that end in 

 view. 



