436 UNIVBKSITY OF VIRGINIA PUBLICATIONS 



well be found that the locoweed is a good food if used in moderation and 

 in association with other foods and at certain seasons of the year. Both 

 my animals and Marsh's gained in weight upon a locoweed diet. Disaster 

 followed only the prolonged and almost exclusive use of the weed by his 

 animals. On the other hand, recent work in the Bureau of Animal In- 

 dustry lends support to my view that the parasitic diseases must be 

 attacked if the Western live stock industry- is to be properly conserved. 

 Recently Hall (27th Annual Report Bureau Animal Industry, 1912, p. 419), 

 referring to the parasites of Western sheep, says, "Even relatively light 

 infections are apparently sufficient to cause the death of an animal in ad- 

 verse weather conditions or during periods when food is scarce." Moreover, 

 evidence is accumulating to support the opinion expressed by Curtice a 

 generation ago, to the effect that the "fringed tape-worm" does more harm 

 to Western sheep than any other internal parasite, (Ransom: Report. 

 Bureau Animal Industry, 1911, p. 60). In view of the prevalence of the 

 parasitic diseases when they were looked for, it seems not unreasonable to 

 expect that an attack upon these diseases combined with an attack upon 

 the feeding problem will clear up the majority of the "loco diseases." It 

 seems even more probable that such a campaign will most surely and speed- 

 ily diminish the huge losses among the Western live stock. 



