12 



Feeding Freshly Dug Old Tubers to Sheep. 



During the seasons of 1918 and 1919, fourteen feedings of fresh old 

 tubers were made, the results of which are summarized in Table No. I. 



Amounts from \ to \\ ounces gave negative results. Four two- 

 ounce feedings were made ; one caused no symptoms, one made a sheep 

 sick, but it recovered, while both the other two caused death. The sheep 

 that was not made sick was larger than the others. All feedings of 

 three ounces and over caused death. Thus, any amount of the tubers 

 above two ounces when eaten by ordinary range ewes will probably 

 cause death. That is, if a ewe eats more than J of a pound, death is 

 likely to follow. 



Feeding Dried Old Tubers to Sheep. 



The old tubers were dug and allowed to dry in the air. The results 

 of feeding air-dried tubers are shown in Table No. II. 



TABLE No. II 

 POISON PARSNIP (WATER HEMLOCK). AIR-DRIED OLD TUBERS FED TO SHEEP 



We made only one feeding of the dried tubers to sheep. The result 

 showed conclusively that the air-dried tubers are deadly and made 

 further tests unnecessary. 



Eighteen pounds of old tubers were air dried to 2.9 pounds, or only 

 Ve of the original weight. A half ounce, 1 / 32 of a pound, of this dry 

 material was fed. This is equivalent to about three ounces of the fresh 

 tubers. The result was death, the animal exhibiting typical water 

 hemlock poisoning symptoms. 



This one feeding indicated (1) that there is little if any immediate 

 loss of the poisonous principle upon dr} r ing, and (2) that grubbed roots 

 are extremely dangerous to live stock and should be so disposed of that 

 there is no chance of animals eating them. 



Feeding New (Young) Tubers to Sheep. 



Table No. Ill summarizes the feeding of new tubers to sheep : 



TABLE III 



POISON PARSNIP (WATER HEMLOCK). FUESHLY GATHERED NEW TUBERS 



FED TO SHEEP 



Five feedings of freshly dug new tubers were made in 1918 ; and 

 amounts from two to six ounces, to J of a pound, produced no 

 symptoms, while eight ounces, \ pound, caused death. A single feed- 

 ing of five ounces made in August, 1919, caused death. It would appear 

 from these feedings that it takes from two to four times as much of 



