Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1901-05-24
THROUGH STARR VALLEY.

Professor S. q lIoten, Entnmolo-
tiist Of the State Unworthy, and the
editor ofttlie INDEPENDENT male q
IMP through Starr valley Thunday
for the purpose of iuvestigat ny til.
destruc Iou 81 the alfalfa fields b,
cutwurms. Arriving ut Deetb. ONE
ot Charley LEWIS livery teams was
hired -nd d trip made To the Stevens
held Of THE II Ranch. This field onn
tainB about 200 &c res and last year
produced one VI the heaviest crops ni
alfalfa raised in the valley. But thus
year. owing to the ravages Of the 30
worms. ahout ha I tue field resembles
an oil stubble held. with here and
the rs II patch ~ growing alfalfa. In
company with Mr.. Rigby, who was
iuSt leaving the house "a irngate lie
ield, we duve through growing nj
falfa to the high land where the
worms had de- 10, ell almost all the
vegetation. Here and there growing
t"x tail or weeds could be e hui
lie alfalfa was completely jestro! ed.
Professor Duten was soon on his
kuees IN the wet guIund digging up
,orms, ex imiuuuR them. asking
ques:unus, eIc. He was as much III.
terested i'll hi- quest for cutworms VI
this scribe used to be in digging
angle worms. way back i'll his hoy
IIooI days III the State Of New York.
.Arouud one plant Of alfalfa he aug
II sack to take tai his workshop at
Reno. THIS will give the reader some
iiea as to the number Of these pests
aud leaves no doubt as to the
~ the destruc ION OF the ali ,lfa
they DO not feed on the roots Of the
plant, but devour every green leaf or
5prig thai grows. This kills the
pIant and accounts for the stubble
like coudi iuu OF the field. Professor
Dnten noted IL curl ms fact i'll this
field. Ii is this: Wherever timothy
grew among the alfalfa it was eaten
down to the ruots, int III Il patch OF
timothy where there was no alfalfa
no worms were found and the tim
uIhy had Il healthy groHth. Two
hours or mur:, were spent II
uR the Stevens field. Mr. Doten
.uok many worms. alfalfa roots, ETC.
winding up with Il photograph uf the
held.
From the IL Ranch we drove to Mr..
sam Mem ulIen's ranch, where we
'sutfed our hides with good thing,
prepared b! Mrs. MrMulIen. Alter
nnuer, i'll couI, an. with Mr.. NJ Mu.-
ell. MIR. ScUiirld II tie editor, Mr..
Duten male an examination ui Mr.
McMulleu'S alfalfa and barley fielis.
The same genera o diuups were
ronnd III the ulfalfa fields rs at I'll,
7l-Ranch. The ravages Of the Aorue
q almost wholly confined to the
high ground. This fact was noted
nat where the alfalfa was uoI MOVE !
Iast year the worms had done no
ianHge. but their Work was plainly
~nuwu night up To the iue 81 Ia lasI
,wHIh moved. Plenty OF woruIs
r found just under the ground
around the dead alfalfa plants. On
lie harley field the wuruIs were mol
V NUMEROUS. but their destructive
Iess was plaIuly eyIdenI.
After nIaKing as thorough an ex
animation as tune would permit. we
nitched up and started for Mr.. Wm.
rIniley r, III the lower end OF the VA.
.ey, where Mr. Dotrn was To spend
tie night and continue lis MOTH this
norning. Being pressed for time a.
each Deeth IN time for the train 10
Ilku, MIR. Duteu Insisted that he WIS
tired oi riding uLd wanted to walk u
"iie or mor' to his stopping pla e
GOr the night. Obj c,Iuus were use.
Hss Hnd the last VIC saw 81 hin he
'as irudginR along tue road Dwarf
Mr.. Smiley, while we were on our
way tn lje-th.
In coLnpany with Mr.. Smiley. he
will examine the ranches OF Ed
Goodale, Charley Black, Will Lane
sud John Crossor. tie expected to
;Ornplete his work in the valley this
forenoon in time to take the train for
Elko.
Nothing a be done th'a year to
assist the farmers. but Prof. Doten
hopes Ia no ul'le to study NJ IN
effective plan for the destruction pf
tie pests should they make til. ir up
pearance next y, ar II viii involve y
great deal of work. but Prof. DUten
u thoroughly interested ip the prob.
lem and will do his level bed to 10.
sist the rancbers ~ Starr valley in
their Il hit with these pests.
Since the above WA written we
have learned that cutworms have
destroyed hbnnt so acres ~ alfalfa ON
Major Miller's ranch in Pleasant