STOCK-POISONING PLANTS OF THE RANGE. 3 
For some years the United States Department of Agriculture has 
been carrying on a series of experiments with poisonous plants, and 
_ there has been accumulated a considerable body of information, 
’ which, although necessarily incomplete, will be, it is hoped, of service 
~ to men handling live stock upon the open range. 
It appears from these researches that, while the total ne of 
poisonous plants growing in the West may be very large, the number 
to be dreaded by the stockmen is comparatively small, and in most 
cases it is not at all difficult to identify the plants which are to be 
_ avoided. Of course, most stockmen are not botanists and are not 
- interested in the botanical distinctions of plants. Most of them, 
_ however, are good observers and can readily recognize these plants 
if the salient characteristics are brought before them in a manner 
_ which they can understand. 
® With the continued reduction of the area of stock ranges and the 
- increasing value of live stock, the owners are of necessity handling 
' the animals with greater care. The time has passed when a man 
will buy a few cows, turn them loose, and pay no more attention to 
them except to brand the calves and occasionally round up a few of 
them for market. It is becoming necessary for stock owners to be 
in constant touch with their animals upon the range, and it is no 
' longer probable that a large number will die and the fact become 
_ known to the owner only after the lapse of weeks or months. Most 
of the mountain stock ranges at the present time are under the 
_ general direction of the Forest Service, and the officers of that bureau 
are constantly patrolling the territory under their direction, so that 
between this supervision and the riding by the employees of the 
stock owners, cattle and horses upon the range are kept under 
almost constant observation. Sheep, of course, have always been 
under the immediate care of a herder, and probably will continue to 
be attended to in the same general way. 
Extensive acquaintance by the author with the conditions on the 
_ western ranges has shown that while harmful plants are known and 
avoided by some men, there are large regions in which these plants 
_ have never been recognized, in spite of the fact that losses have 
- occurred year after year. 
The object of this publication is to present in a brief and intelligible 
- form such a description of the common or more important plants as 
- ean be understood by a person not in the habit of using technical 
terms. With this description is given a brief statement of the symp- 
toms produced by the plant, the time at which the losses may be 
- expected to occur, and the means, so far as they are known, of 
_ avoiding them. It is not intended to give any complete description 
of the plants or their effects. For this, reference must be made to 
_ the more detailed reports upon specific plants. In regard to most of 
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