STOCK-POISONING PLANTS OF THE EANGE. 33 
will snatcli all the more. Tliey should also have been thoroughly 
fed before going upon such a drive. 
This has been illustrated in certain places in Colorado, where it is 
customary to drive cattle from one range to another, and for years 
there were always heavy losses. In the old days it was the custom 
to gather the cattle together and rush them as rapidly as possible 
through the place where the tall larkspur was growing. Losses 
invariably occurred. In recent years, instead of gathering the cattle 
together they have been put through the drive in small numbers 
and have been allowed to feed before starting. They are not driven 
rapidly. Under such conditions no losses have occurred. 
It is also evident, from what has been said earlier in this bulletin, 
that if cattle can be kept off fields of larkspur until after the plant 
has blossomed, little trouble may be expected. This method has 
been employed for many years in certain regions in Colorado, where 
it is a common practice to " ride for poison," as it is called ; that is, 
the herders ride and keep the cattle down from the higher ranges 
until the larkspur has blossomed and matured, after which there is 
no further danger. The same thing has been accomplished in cer- 
tain regions by putting up drift fences which are designed to keep 
the cattle on the lower ranges until the danger is past. There are 
valleys known as death traps for cattle. Frequently it will be found 
that in these valleys the tall larkspur is thriving in large clumps, and 
cattle drifting in will feed freely upon it. It is often possible under 
such conditions to clear out this larkspur, or enough of it so there 
will be no danger. In order to kill the plants, the roots of most of 
the species should be cut off at least 6 or 8 inches below the surface. 
Deaths from Cicuta poisoning rarely occur except in the case of 
animals that are almost in a starving condition. If very hungry 
animals are turned loose upon a range, and they find a number of 
Cicuta roots lying beside a ditch or along a mountain stream, and 
there is nothing else to eat, they eat these roots, of course, and 
death follows. 
The losses of sheep from death camas (Zygadenus) occur under 
very similar conditions to those of cattle from larkspur. The grassy 
death camas grows very early in the spring. It precedes the grasses 
in its growth and is present in a succulent condition at a time when 
other forage is extremely scarce. Inasmuch as it occurs frequently in 
large masses, if sheep are trailed over these places they are liable to 
get enough to cause heavy losses. It is particularly important in the 
handling of sheep in such localities that, if possible, they be grazed 
in loose order. In fact, this is true of the handling of sheep under 
all circumstances. When the animals are massed^ together they will 
eat everything in their course, and, because of jealousy, will take 
particular pains to get every available plant. If, on the other hand, 
they are kept in loose order and spread widely over the range, they 
I are much less likely to eat any poisonous plant. 
This applies equally well to lupine poisoning. "When sheep are 
allowed to feed freely upon a lupine patch and are moved without 
any haste, no harmful results will occur. If, however, they are 
massed together and driven in close formation over such a patch, 
they are almost certain to be poisoned if the plants are in pod at the 
