CAMPANULACEÆ (Bell-flower Family). Bolelia sp. One or more species of this genus are suspected of being poisonous to sheep in California. Lobelia inflata L., INDIAN TOBACCO.-L. kalmii L., BROOK BOLELIA.-L. spicata Lam., PALE-SPIKED LOBELIA.-L. syphilitica L., GREAT LOBELIA.-All of the species in this genus contain an acrid and usually milky juice and are poisonous. None has been specially reported as poisonous to stock, but the above-named species are to be suspected because they frequently occur in grass and are sometimes The young seedlings of the American COCKLEBUR are reported from Texas as being rapidly fatal to hogs. Xanthium spinosum L.-The SPINY CLOTBUR is suspected of being poisonous, but few cases have been definitely recorded against it. The seeds apparently contain a toxic compound. Xanthium strumarium L.-The young seedlings of the BROAD COCKLEBUR are reported from Georgia as being fatal to hogs. Experiments seem to show that the seed is poi sonous. CARDUACE (Thistle Family). FIG. 69.-Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale), one-third natural size. Helenium autumnale L. SNEEZEWEED (SNEEZEWORT; AUTUMN SNEEZEWEED; STAGGER WEED; FALSE SUNFLOWER) is found throughout the greater portion of the United States, being most abundant in the Southern and Eastern States. Sheep, cattle, and horses that are unfamiliar with the plant are often poisoned by it when driven to localities where it is abundant. Stock avoid it, as a rule, but it is claimed that they sometimes develop a taste for the plant and are killed quickly by eating it in large quantity. 10317-27 Helenium tenuifolium Nutt.-The FINE-LEAFED SNEEZEWEED has been reported from several of the Gulf States, where it is a troublesome weed, fatal to horses and mules. It is not known to what extent cattle may feed on the plant with impunity, but the bitter principle in milk and meat sometimes met with in the Southern States is quite generally supposed to be due to these plants. Senecio jacobea L.-The TANSY RAGWORT, or STAGGERWORT, is a European plant which grows as a weed in ballast about New York and Philadelphia. Farther north, in Nova Scotia, it has become extensively naturalized, and it is there regarded by stock men as poisonous. It is interesting to note that S. guadalensis of Mexico is also considered fatal to stock. Solidago sp.-A species of GOLDEN-ROD growing in Wisconsin is suspected of being very poisonous to horses. The damage is perhaps due to a parasitic growth on this plant. (See Coleosporium solidaginis.) LIST OF PLANTS KNOWN TO BE POISONOUS TO STOCK. Ergot, Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul. Coral bean, Sophora secundiflora (Cav.) Chinese umbrella tree, Melia azedarach American white hellebore, Veratrum | Spurge nettle, Jatropha viride Ait. Slender nettle, Urtica gracilis Ait. Western aconite, Aconitum columbi- Michx. stimulosa Castor oil plant, Ricinus communis L. Water hemlock, Cicuta maculata L. Dwarf larkspur, Delphinium tricorne Oregon water hemlock, Cicuta vagans Michx. Field larkspur, Delphinium consolida L. Greene. Poison hemlock, Conium maculatum L. Wyoming larkspur, Delphinium geyeri Narrow-leaf laurel, Kalmia angustifoGreene. Green hellebore, Helleborus viridis L. Celandine, Chelidonium majus L. Wild black cherry, Prunus serotina Rattlebox, Crotalaria sagittalis L. Locust tree, Robinia pseudacacia L. lia L. Great laurel, Rhododendron maximum Oleander, Nerium oleander L. Black henbane, Hyoscyamus niger L. Purple foxglove, Digitalis purpurea L. LIST OF PLANTS PROBABLY POISONOUS TO STOCK.1 Mold, Aspergillus glaucous (L.) Link. Death camas, Zygadenus venenosus Alkali grass, Zygadenus elegans Pursh. L. Mexican poppy, Argemone mexicana L. Spurge, Euphorbia sp. California buckeye, Esculus californica (Spach) Nutt. Ohio buckeye, Æsculus glabra Willd. Horse chestnut, Esculus hippocastanum L. Red buckeye, Esculus pavia L. Red-root, Gyrotheca capitata (Walt.) Spotted St. John's-wort, Hypericum Morong. White baneberry, Actœa alba (L.) Mill. Wind flower, Anemone quinquefolia L. Greene. maculatum Walt. Cowbane, Oxypolis rigidis (L.) Britton. | Hemlock water parsnip, Sium cicutœfolium Gmel. Wild rosemary, Andromeda polifolia L. | Pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis L. Milkweed, Asclepias mexicana Cav. Mountain larkspur, Delphinium scopu- Potato, Solanum tuberosum L. lorum Gray. Cow poison, Delphinium trolliifolium Gray. Fine-leaf sneezeweed, Helenium tenuifolium Nutt. Tansy ragwort, Senecio jacobæa L. Bulbous crowfoot, Ranunculus bulbo- Spring clotbur, Xanthium spinosum L. sus L. Tall crowfoot, Ranunculus acris L. Broad cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium L. LIST OF PLANTS SUSPECTED OF BEING POISONOUS TO STOCK.1 Cornsmut, Ustilago maydis Corda. ginis (Schw.) Theum. Field horsetail, Equisetum arvense L. Leucocrinum, Leucocrinum montanum Crow poison, Nothoscordum bivalve (L.) Atamasco lily, Atamosco atamasco (L.) * The following explanation appears on page 388: "The list as given is provisional for some species, as the reports upon which their reputation is founded are very meager and sometimes even contradictory. * They are here enumerated, not necessarily because it is believed that they are poisonous, but with the view to eliciting more positive evidence either for or against them. Although comprehensive, the list is incomplete, for experience is constantly adding to the number already known or suspected to be poisonous." Oak, Quercus sp. Black greasewood, Sarcobatus vermicu- Sleepy catchfly, Silene antirrhina L. Labrador tea, Ledum grænlandicum Privet, Ligustrum vulgare L. Indian hemp, Apocynum cannabinum L. | Butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa L. Bittersweet, Solanum dulcamara L. Woolly loco weed, Astragalus mollis- Slender gerardia, Gerardia tenuifolia simus Torr. Vahl. Hedge hyssop, Grutiola officinalis L. Downingia, Bolelia sp. Indian tobacco, Lobelia inflata L. American cocklebur, Xanthium cana- FEEDING WILD PLANTS TO SHEEP. [Paper by S. B. Nelson, D. V. M., Professor of Veterinary Sciences, in Washington Agricultural College and School of Science, before the second annual meeting of the Association of Experiment Station Veterinarians, at Omaha, Nebr., September S, 1898. ] For many years past there have occurred in the State of Washington, when sheep were being moved from winter quarters to summer pastures, serious losses in the flocks. According to the statements of the various sheep owners these losses have occurred in certain definite localities in the spring, but not in the autumn, when the sheep were returned to their winter feeding quarters. These fatalities happening under apparently the same conditions-at the same time and place each year-led the sheep owners to believe that the deaths were due to eating some grass or weed which acted as a poison to the sheep. This condition was brought to the attention of the experiment station and certain members commenced the work of investigating the cause of the great mortality in the flocks. As these experiments. are not completed, it is not the intention of this paper to discuss the cause of the death of the sheep, but to record the results of feeding to sheep different plants, many of which have been and are considered poisonous to sheep and other domesticated animals. The station botanist went into these various localities and ascertained what plants were there. About thirty-five different plants were observed, and as many as possible of these were fed and the results noted. The plants found were grouped into two classes: First, those from which might be expected a positive result; second, those from which a negative result might be looked for-judgment on both classes being based on public opinion about many of the plants; and also consideration being given to the abundance with which the plants were distributed. Following is the list of plants collected: Class 1.-Delphinium menziesii, Castilleja pallescens, Crepis barbigera, Astragalus dorycnioides, Astragalus spaldingii, Astragalus palousensis, Zygadenus venenosus, Frasera albicaulis, Antenaria luzuloides, Sisyrinchium grandiflorum, Arnica fulgens. Class 2.-Saxifraga integufolia, Lupinus ornatus, Leptotænia multifida, Peucedanum grayii, Synthyris rubra, Clematis douglassii, Heuchera glabella, Lithospermum pilosum, Geranium, Potentilla, Eriogonum heracleoides, Geum triflorum, Grindelia nana, Chænactis douglasii. DELPHINIUM MENZIESII. The first, and which was thought the most important, was Delphinium menziesii. Three sheep were used in this experiment. Prior to the experiment they had been kept in a lot where there was running water and were fed timothy hay. |