OUTLINE OF PRESENT INVESTIGATION.

The investigation described in this paper was undertaken by the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture in response to numerous appeals from stock growers and farmers of Deer Lodge Valley, Montana, who sustained such losses among their animals and crops that live-stock raising not only became unprofitable, but a number of ranchers were compelled to abandon their homes and improved land and seek a livelihood elsewhere. The writer was detailed to inspect the conditions of that locality and to take such material from animal tissues for microscopic examination as might appear necessary.

The geographic situation of the Washoe smelter near Anaconda, Mont., and of the Deer Lodge Valley have been minutely described in Bulletin 113 of the Bureau of Chemistry of the United States Department of Agriculture, hence it is unnecessary to give such a description in the present article.

In this connection it is only proper to acknowledge the generosity of the Deer Lodge Farmers' Association in offering to allow the writer to select and slaughter without payment of compensation any animal-horse, cow, steer, or sheep-on any ranch in their so-called smoke zone, as well as from the dairies, to be utilized for the purpose mentioned. Mr. E. P. Mathewson, general manager of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, likewise extended a similar offer with regard to any animals on the company's premises, consisting of section 16 and the leased part of the Bliss ranch. These offers were gratefully accepted.

The inspection of Deer Lodge Valley and the collection of material for microscopic examination during the winter of 1906 extended over a period of forty-four days, from October 26 to December 8. It was ascertained first, by conversation with ranchers, what were the general conditions of the valley in which the losses were reported to occur, the extent of territory involved, the number of animals lost, the time of the year, and the localities where the greatest losses were sustained, also the character of the feed and water supply and the conditions under which the animals were kept. The representatives of the mining company, on the other hand, reported the flourishing condition of the animals on the company's premises, the abundant hay crops, etc.

The writer visited as many ranches as possible in the time mentioned, and inspected the pastures, soil, water supply, hay, sheds, and stables, as well as the physical condition of the available animals. This latter examination was usually made in conjunction with Dr. E. T. Davison, of the Bureau of Animal Industry, also on some occasions with Dr. D. E. Salmon, Dr. Leonard Pearson, and Doctor Cheney. The

ranches inspected were located in various directions from the smelter, and their distance on an air line from the smelter varied from 1 to 12 miles. While not every ranch came under observation, those that were investigated were thoroughly representative of the region subjected to the influence of flue dust. This region included almost the entire Deer Lodge Valley as well as the adjoining foothills. The injurious effects were sufficiently pronounced to be detected even on casual inspection, to say nothing of a close, careful, systematic investigation.

Twenty-one ranches were investigated, practically all of which were to the eastward of a line running north and south through the smelter; only one ranch was a little to the west of south, and situated about 4 miles from the smelter. Eight ranches were in a southeasterly direction, ranging from 13 to 7 miles in distance; two were due east, from 2 to 7 miles; seven were northeast, from 3 to 9 miles; and the farthermost three were north, from 9 to 12 miles.

The inspection itself varied considerably in character. Where the owner was prejudiced against an investigation and unwilling to give information or have his premises and animals inspected, the inspection was limited to a mere general inquiry as to the present state of hay and other crops harvested, the prices received for them, and the number of animals on hand as compared with the records of previous years. On the other hand, where the owner was disposed to sanction an investigation, it took the form of a minute inspection of the ranch, pastures, hay, water supply, shelters, sheds, stable, and barn, in addition to an examination of all live stock. On some ranches the writer was permitted to select and slaughter animals for the purpose of microscopic investigation, which must always be the court of last appeal in the consideration of damage to tissues.

It should be mentioned in this connection that the physical examination of range animals is not as easily accomplished as that of the eastern stable and pasture-reared animals. When an animal is used to roaming on the range, even if it is sick, it does not submit as kindly to an examination as the halter-broken animal. After such preliminary examination it was possible to form an opinion independent of the hearsay statements of ranchers on the one hand and of the representative of the mining company on the other hand.

CONDITIONS FOUND IN REGION OF SMELTER.

This inquiry and inspection revealed many interesting facts. In driving through the valley one could see apparently fine-looking pastures and meadows in which no stock had been allowed to run or from which no hay had been cut. The reason as explained by resi dents of the valley was that the grass was so noxious that it could

not be used with safety or profit. Even the hay, they said, was unsafe to feed and also unprofitable for sale. It is a well-known fact that Deer Lodge Valley hay, when there is any demand at all, sells for about 50 to 75 per cent less than the hay from outside the smoke zone. In many places stacks of 100 to 250 tons remained for several years unsold and thousands of tons of hay remained uncut in various parts of the valley. The claims of the residents in regard to the noxious properties of the grass and hay can be substantiated by the chemical analyses of Dr. J. K. Haywood, of the Bureau of Chemistry, as shown in the following table taken from Bulletin 113 of that Bureau:

Arsenic content of forage in Deer Lodge Valley, expressed as arsenious oxid, as determined by J. K. Haywood, U. S. Bureau of Chemistry.

The analyses of Prof. R. E. Swain, of Leland Stanford Junior University, California, as published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Volume XXX, No. 6, June, 1898, and Prof. W. D. Harkins, of the University of Montana, in 1906, given below, likewise show the presence of a large amount of arsenic in grass, hay, and leaves and bark of trees resulting from smelter fumes.

27657-10-▬2

Arsenic content of grass, hay, etc., in Deer Lodge Valley, as determined by Prof. W. D. Harkins, University of Montana.

a Parts per million are equivalent to ten-thousandths of 1 per cent, and multiplied by 0.7 give the number of grains in 100 pounds of substance.

The presence of such large quantities of arsenic in the grass and hay, as shown by the chemical analyses referred to, would fully account for Deer Lodge Valley hay being less readily sold than hay raised elsewhere. Such hay would be undesirable feed for animals, and from an economic standpoint it would appear wiser to let it remain uncut than to incur the expense of cutting and stacking, when, if disposed of at all, it would bring only about the cost of putting it up.

LOSSES OF LIVE STOCK.

An attempt was made to ascertain approximately the extent of the losses in live stock sustained by the farmers in the smelter region during the period from 1902 to 1906. The writer endeavored to get as accurate a list as possible of. the number of animals which each farmer had at the beginning and at the end of this period, and statements were obtained as to the holdings of 49 persons. The exact numbers were taken from books whenever possible, although most of the figures, especially for 1902, were necessarily estimates.

Considered in the aggregate, these reported losses were nothing short of appalling in magnitude. The notes show that out of a total of 2,447 horses in 1902 only 423 remained in 1906, and the losses in cattle were even greater. The decrease was said to be due almost entirely to deaths, as on account of the unthrifty condition of the animals there was practically no sale for them. Three men who undertook to raise sheep went out of the business, and five other ranchers also left the valley on account of their losses during this period.

A striking instance is afforded by the claim of one of the largest stock raisers of Deer Lodge Valley, whose ranch was about 12 miles from the smelter. According to his itemized statement his total losses during 1903 amounted to $31,582. He lost by death during that year 34 horses, 101 cattle, and 800 sheep, and animals that did not die were greatly damaged. He also claimed to have sustained losses and damage due to slunk calves, loss of milk, and damage to hay, pastures, etc.

A HISTORIC FEEDING EXPERIMENT.

The feeding experiment described below is inserted partly to show that the controversy regarding damage to live stock from smelter fumes is one of long standing, at any rate in Europe. The experiment took place in Germany forty-five years ago, and, as will be seen, was quite conclusive in its results. The work was carried out by a scientific commission under the personal supervision of Professor Stangel, the place being the agricultural academy farm at Tharand. The object was to determine whether the forage in smelting regions produced any injurious effects on the health of cattle.

Two 6-year-old steers were used in the feeding trials, which lasted from June 7, 1864, to April 27, 1865. The experiment was divided into three periods. In the first period, from June 7 to August 20, the steers were fed in the following manner: One, the check animal, received daily 30 pounds of wholesome, sound hay, while the experimental steer received 30 pounds of hay that was pronounced to be damaged by smelter fumes to the extent of 40 per cent. During this period, lasting seventy-five days, no marked disturbances were noticed. The experimental animal consumed 29.68 pounds of hay daily, and increased in weight from 962 pounds to 1,025 pounds, or 63 pounds, which is an increase of 0.84 pound per day; while the check animal increased from 941 to 1,022 pounds, or 81 pounds, which is a daily increase of 1.08 pounds.

During the second period, lasting from August 21 to November 21, or ninety-three days, the experimental animal had diarrhea several times and the feces changed color and had an ill odor. The animal partook of but 25.62 pounds of hay daily and increased in weight from 1,003 to 1,072 pounds, which is a daily average of 0.74 pound. The check animal consumed the full ration of 30 pounds, and in

a Reported by Freytag in "Jahrbuch für das Berg- und Hüttenwesen in Konigreiche Sachsen auf das Jahr 1873." There is apparently a discrepancy in the weights of the experiment animals as given at the end of the first period and at the beginning of the second period the following day, which the present author is unable to explain. The figures have been correctly copied from the German report. Whatever error there may be is not sufficient to affect materially the value of the result.