The Chemistry of the Lupines

Millions of dollars are lost every year to the people of the United States through fatal poisoning of livestock by noxious plants that grow wild in pastures and on the ranges of the West. A large part of this loss is duo to leguminous plants known as lupines, many species of which are common especially in the western grazing districts. Some of the lupines are very toxic while others are so slightly toxic that they are not only not dangerous under range conditions but are actually valuable as food for cattle and sheep. As yet we have little information as to the very dangerous species and those that are comparatively harmless and to supply this knowledge the writer undertook a chemical examination of the more important lupines. The results of that study are included in the following monographs.