4 BULLETIN 405, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
LOSSES FROM LUPINES. 
The losses from ‘‘lupmosis” in Europe have in some years been © 
very great. In 1880, in Pomerania the loss of sheep was 5.89 per 
cent (Cornevin, 1893, p. 316). It is stated that in some herds in 
northern Germany the loss was as great as one-half to three-fourths © 
of the total number. | 
The known losses in America are very heavy. Chesnut and 
Wilcox (1901, p. 106) tell of one case, among others, in which out’ 
of 2,000 sheep trailed over a region covered with a large quantity of 
lupine 1,000 were sick and 700 died. In another case 1,150 died out 
of 2,500 (p. 104). Losses of several hundred are not at all uncommon, 
and occasionally the deaths may be nearly 50 per cent of the whole 
number. More complete knowledge of the losses has been obtained 
in Montana than in any other State, because Montana has been under 
close observation for many years, and it is very possible that this 
State suffers more than others, but more or less similar conditions 
are found in other western States in which the mountain regions are 
used for sheep grazing. It is probable that the lupines rank as a 
close second to Zygadenus in causing losses of sheep. : 
DISTRIBUTION OF LUPINES. 
While lupines are found in the eastern United States rather spar- 
ingly, and are there represented by only three species, in the Western 
States there is a large number of species, and these frequently grow 
in large masses, so that sometimes they are cut for hay. They form 
an important factor in the number of forage plants. Horses seem 
to be especially fond of them and will sometimes eat the green plants 
with great greediness. 
Of the species of lupines in America, only a few have been used 
in this investigation. One of these, Lupinus sericeus, is illustrated in 
figure 1. A thorough systematic study of the genus is in progress 
by the Bureau of Plant Industry, and further work is being prose- 
cuted for future publication, dealing with the characteristics of the 
different species from the standpoint of chemistry and pharmacology, 
as well as from the standpoint of field experimentation. 
COMMON NAMES OF LUPINES. 
The lupines are known under a large number of common names. — 
Among these are sundial, old-maid’s bonnets, Quaker’s bonnets, 
Indian beans, wild beans, blue pea, and blue bean. In some sections 
the name loco is used, but this is generally by those who do not 
know the true locoes. 4 
