POISONOUS PLANTS. 41 



White sweet clover (Melilotus alba). — This weed, so common in nearly all irri- 

 gated regions, is very abundant northward. It does not appear to find congenial 

 conditions in the southern portion of the Territory, but is especially unsightly along 

 irrigation ditches in the drainage of the Malheur River. 



POISONOUS PLANTS. 



There is in this region as in all other grazing areas a very vague and 

 indefinite idea regarding this class of plants. One will often find 

 valuable forage plants pointed out as injurious to stock and passing 

 under the vague term of "loco weeds." The prejudice against a 

 certain plant often arises from some circumstance connected with the 

 behavior of cattle in the vicinities where it grows in abundance. 

 Cattle die for an unknown reason and the most natural thing to attrib- 

 ute the malady to is the poisonous effect of some plant. It has 

 appeared, on this trip as well as on others in range States, that there 

 is much popular misconception in reference to the matter. Usually it 

 is difficult to obtain definite information concerning authentic cases of 

 injury to stock from eating the plants in question. When one takes 

 cognizance of the numerous species which are considered poisonous 

 and then follows up the sheep camps or studies closely pastured 

 meadows for a few days, he is sure to lose confidence in much of the 

 popular belief concerning the poisonous effect of plants. There are 

 two species, however, in this region which are universally condemned, 

 and there is strong evidence that they do much injury at certain sea- 

 sons of the year. As far as we were able to learn there was no injury 

 from either except in the early spring. 



Larkspur (Delphinum scopulorum). — According to the account given by Mr. F. C. 

 Lusk, superintendent of the French-Glenn estate, this plant is one of the first to put 

 forth a vigorous growth in the spring. When the ground is still moist, the cattle 

 pull up the tuberous roots and eat them along with the succulent tops. He reports 

 that there are no prominent symptoms following the feeding on this plant, and that 

 the cattle simply ' ' lay down and die . ' ' This account has been repeated substantially 

 by other observers in the region, so that it appears to be w T ell authenticated. 

 While the plant appeared to be common enough in the mountains where we traveled, 

 it was only in tw 7 o or three localities that it was conspicuous. It is said to be more 

 noticeable in the spring on account of its early appearance when there is less vege- 

 tation on the ground. The stock at this time of the year, after having been confined 

 to dry, dead, and very short pasture grasses of the lowland meadows during the winter, 

 are, of course, very eager for green feed and consequently eat many things w T hich 

 they would not touch later in the season when feed becomes more plentiful. 



Attention is called here to the fact that injury from this plant, as well as the next 

 one mentioned, occurs when cattle are first turned onto the range from short pas- 

 tures or short hay rations during a long and often hard winter. They often go out 

 in spring in a condition of very low vitality. It is suggested that the large death 

 rate at this season may to a large extent be due to the radical change of ration at a 

 time when the general tone of the system, owing to impoverishment and change of 

 season, is least able to withstand such changes. The fact that at times cattle die in 

 large numbers at this season of the year,, when the system is least able to withstand 

 the effect of noxious weeds or other injurious agencies, would tend strongly to create 



