History of USDA poisonous plant research

Research on poisonous plants was instituted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a result of serious livestock poisoning by plants as the pioneers moved west in the mid-to-late 1800s and early 1900s. Historical records indicate the USDA began poisonous plant research in 1894 under the direction of Mr. V. K. Chestnut, a botanist (Table 1 briefly summarizes those who have directed poisonous plant research from the inception to the present). Mr. Chestnut's responsibility (1894-1904) was primarily administrative, although he did extensive field work in Washington and Montana. Temporary field stations were set up to study specific poisonous plant problems. These included field stations at Hugo and Woodland Park, Colorado, and Imperial, Nebraska (1905-1909), to study locoweed; Gunnison, Colorado (1910-1912), to primarily study larkspur; and Greycliff, Montana (1912-1915), to study the poisonous plants of the Yellowstone Valley. Dr. Rodney True replaced Mr. Chestnut in 1904 and in 1905 hired Dr. C. D. Marsh (1905-1930) to establish the temporary field stations listed above. In 1915 a permanent facility was established at Salina, Utah, under the direction of C. D. Marsh who remained in charge until 1930 when he retired; he was followed by A. B. Clawson until 1937 when Dr. Ward Huffman was placed in charge. Research on poisonous plants was located at the Salina Experiment Station until 1955 when the station was closed and the laboratory moved to the campus of Utah State Agricultural College at Logan, Utah, where it is currently located. Dr. Wayne Binns was hired as the director of the laboratory in 1954 and retired in 1972. In 1972 Dr. Lynn F. James, who joined the PRPL staff in July 1957, was appointed as Research Leader and presently directs the research at the Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory.