ERADICATING TALL LARKSPUR ON CATTLE 

 RANGES IN THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 



CONTENTS. 



Losses of cattle from larkspur poisoning 



Eradication of larkspur by grubbing 



Cost of grubbing 



Practicability of grubbing 



Method of grubbing 



Sheep grazing of larkspur areas on cattle 



Fencing as a protection against loss 21 



Summary 22 



LOSSES OF CATTLE FROM LARKSPUR POISONING. 



AT LEAST 5,500 head of cattle have been lost yearly during the 

 last three years from poisonous plants on ranges within the 

 National Forests. The value of the stock lost annually is approxi- 

 mately $300,000. Usually the heavy losses occur on comparatively 

 small portions of the forest ranges. Several plants are responsible, 

 but about 90 per cent of the loss can be charged to tall larkspur. 



Special effort has been made by the Forest Service in cooperation 

 with stockmen to test on a small scale various methods of reducing 

 or eliminating loss. Where the tests showed promise, the successful 



FIG. 1. Cattle grazing on typical mountain weed meadow containing larkspur, Stan- 

 islaus National Forest. 



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