STOCK-POISOXIXG PLAXTS OF THE RANGE 6 



has accumulated a considerable body of information, which, although 

 necessarily incomplete, will be, it is hoped, of service to men handling 

 livestock on the open range. 



It appears from these researches that, while the total number 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 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 livestock, the owners are of necessity handling 

 the animals with greater care. The time has passed when a man can 

 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 con- 

 stant touch with their animals on the range, and it is no longer prob- 

 able 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 moun- 

 tain stock ranges at the present time are under the general direction 

 of the Forest Service, and its officers 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 

 on 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 form such a 

 description of the common or more important plants as can be under- 

 stood by a person not in the habit of using technical terms. With 

 this description is given a brief statement of the symptoms 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 re- 

 ports upon specific plants. In regard to most of these our knowledge 

 is at present on a firm basis of experimental proof. It has seemed 

 best, however, to add to the list some plants which undoubtedly 

 produce poisonous effects, but have never been subjected to detailed 

 experimental study. 



There are many other plants which, under some conditions, may 

 cause sickness or death, but it has been thought best to limit the de- 

 scriptions to those which are widely distributed and especially im- 

 portant. 



