12 



stomach, the other from pneumonia. Quantities of three pounds or 

 more killed the animals in all cases, with the exception of a single sheep 

 which appeared far more resistant to poisoning than the average 

 animal. 



When we compare the capacity of a sheep 's stomach, approximately 

 four and one-half of green grass and weeds at a single feeding, with the 

 quantity of death camas required to kill, approximately three pounds 

 or more ; then it would appear that the sheep would have to graze very 

 largely on death camas in order to secure a fatal dose. 



In order to get a clear idea of how thick a stand of death camas there 

 is on the range early in the spring when the danger is greatest, square- 

 rod plots were laid out where death camas (Zygadenus paniculatus] 

 appeared most abundant on the foot-hills southwest of Reno. On 

 April 12, 1918, 32 plants, all that grew on one square rod, were cut off 

 at a height of three-quarters inch above the ground. The total weight 



Figure 7. Foot-Hill Death Camas. The leaves appear to spring directly 

 from the ground without any stem. 



was 32.8 grams, or a little more than an ounce. On April 15, 52 plants 

 were cut from two square rods and the total weight of leaves cut was 

 28.6 grams per square rod, or approximately one ounce. At this rate 

 it would take sixteen square rods to produce a single pound of the 

 plant. The leaves at this time were from four to eight inches high. 



On all of these plots there was a far heavier stand of death camas 

 than would ordinarily be found on any of the ranges in Nevada. If 

 the plants really grew as thickly on the range as on these selected plots, 

 and if they had reached a height of from four to eight inches, then each 

 acre would produce from 10 to 12 pounds of death camas, enough to 

 poison fatally some three or four sheep. The death camas was cut and 

 weighed at a time of year when all other green vegetation was very 

 scarce, and the likelihood of poisoning was greatest. 



On May 17, 1918, when other range vegetation was quite abundant, 



