LtrPlNES AS POISONOUS PLANTS. 41 



were bedded down. Tliey were up and feeding again at 12.15 a. m. 

 and were grazing most of the time until 6.30 a. m., with the excep- 

 tion of the hour from 4 to 5. To the disappointment of the observ- 

 ers none of the animals was poisoned. It was noticed, however, 

 that while a good deal of lupine was eaten they did not take to it 

 greedily and preferred the grass, which was in fair abundance. 



In t hinkin g over the experiment later, it seemed probable that the 

 fact that the sheep were allowed to feed freely, combined with the 

 abundance of grass, might explain the lack of results. It was there- 

 fore decided to repeat the experiment with the difference that the 

 sheep should not be allowed to feed freely upon a lupine patch, but 

 should be kept moving back and forth, the idea being that in this 

 way they might snatch at the lupine as the most prominent plant. 

 An experiment of this kind was tried July 31, 1914. Thirty-six 

 sheep were corralled at night and kept in until 2 p. m. the next day 

 with no food. At 2 p. m. they were driven about a mile to a lupine 

 patch having an abundance of pods and seed. It proved to be an 

 unfavorable time for such an experiment, for it was very hot and the 

 sheep would not feed until about 7 p. m. They grazed until about 

 8 p. m. and were kept on the move aU this time. They were driven 

 back to the corrals. The time of grazing was so short that it was 

 assumed the experiment was a failure, and the sheep were not ob- 

 served during the night. The next morning sheep No. 241, which 

 had been observed as one of those eating the most lupine, was found 

 down, and a Httle later it died, the symptoms and autopsy indicat- 

 ing that it was, without doubt, a lupine victim. The outcome of this 

 experiment was considered to be a confirmation of the general ex- 

 planation of range poisoning as given before. 



TREATMENT OF RANGE ANIMALS TO AVOID POISONING. 



From what has been said of the conditions under which range poi- 

 soning occurs, it is evident that much of the loss can be prevented by 

 proper management of the bands. 



Sheep should never be taken from the cars to a pasture having 

 much lupine. It is cheaper to buy hay. After long drives with 

 insufficient f(;rage avoid grazing grounds which are covered with 

 lupine. If it is necessary to drive sheep over lupine patches, do not 

 hurry them, but allow them to spread out and drift across. Special 

 care should be taken in the fall, when the grass may bo covered by a 

 fall of snow. In the treatment of the flocks remember the general 

 fact, which is applicable in regard to all poisonous plants, that wcU- 

 fed sheep are not likely to eat injurious plants. Conditions under 

 wldch sheep get ravenously hungry should, if possible, be avoided. 



Herdfrs should recognize tlie fact tliat th(5 pods and seeds are espe- 

 cially poisonous and tliat, consequently, poisormig is luorc lik(;ly to 



