The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1899-01-13

riety Of substances have been recon.
mended to kill the bofers in the trees.
but up to the present time only few
have given satisfaction. For the bene-
fit of those who have not had expert
ence with this borer it may be neces-
sary to state that it is Of no avail what
ever to inject kerosene or any other In
secticide into the round holes mdde"by
the beetles in their escape from the
trees. A correspondent of this divl-
sion, Mr.. T.. B. Ashton, who has had
many years experience with this bor-
er, states that there is no better way OF
effectually putting stop to the depre-
dations Of this and similar borers than
In the use OF kerosene applied freely
wherever the castings of the larvae are
to be seen protruding through the bark.
The kerosene is absorbed by the cast
ton. permeates the entire burrow
where it comes in contact with the
larva, which soon succumbs. The
amount of kerosene which 1t is neces-
sary to use is so small that it does not
endanger the health of the tree.
Clean cultural methods. - Finally,
clean culture, the best preventive for
insect injury of whatever kind, should
not be neglected. The nursery should
not be started in new localities where
crabs, thorns, June-berry. and other
wild food plants of this species grow
in great profusion nor in the vicinity
of neglected orchards, nor should rank
growths of weeds, grasses. bushes, and
briars be permitted to accumulate
about the trunks of the trees. When
tree is seen to be injured beyond re-
covery it should be taken out and de-
stroyed by burning before the follow
ing spring, that the larvae which it
contains may not have an opportunity
to develop and reinfest healthy growth.
Sowing Alfalfa.
c. H. Sessions, in an address to Cal
ifornia dairymen. said:
There is great variety of opinion as
to best time OF seeding. We have sowed
at all times from November CT Deem
Der to April and have had good and
poor success. It depends on the sea-
son, and nothing can be told of them
beforehand. l think it best to sow ear
ly, say after good rain. as soon as
the ground has become dry enough TO
work easily, and then, if from frosts or
scanty early rains the stand is fail
ure, there is plenty of time to prepare
the ground and put in another crop,
hoping there will be plenty of late
rains to give it start. There rs no
danger from frosts after the third
leaves have started. Some claim that
is sufficient, but we prefer twenty-five
to thirty pounds. If it all grew the
small amount would be all right. but
conditions are So liable to prevent all
from growing that 1 prefer to pay a
little more money for seed and insure
a good stand. If the stand is thin it
is not the easiest thing to thicken ii
up successfully, but If the seed come
up too thick it is q Survival of the
fittest," and the weaker stalks are
killed out leaving a good. thick and
even stand. which makes the best quail
ity of hay.
Sowing Alfalfa with Wheat.-For a
nurse crop in starting alfalfa nothing
is. better than a very light crop of
wheat, say thirty-five pounds seed per
acre. If greater amount Of seed is
used, the wheat will come up so thick
as to smother the alfalfa, or if it grows
it will be SO tender that as soon as the
wheat is cut it will wither and die.
If the wheat should be too thick it
must not be left until grown enough
for hay. but cut and removed earlier.
Some prefer nothing but weeds for pro-
lection. but it will cost no more to
grow light crop of wheat, and what is
taken off will be good feed while the
weeds will have to be thrown away.