The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-27
WAGES WAR ON
ALF ALTA PEST
Chief of Insect Investigation
Studies WeeyiI Conditions
in Utah.
CHIEF PROBLEM is TO
KEEP PARASITES ALIVE
Expected That Work of EXter-
minatiOn Will Begin in
Earnest Next Year.

Il believe there is little If any dan
ger of transportation of alfalfa weevil
in the seed. In fact there are many
other ways in which the insect may be
carried from one community TO another.
said F. NJ Webster. in charge OF cereal
and forage insect Investigations, Wednes-
day night Professor Webster Is In Salt
Lake TO go over the work done by the
corps OF workers from the bureau of en-
tomoloGy OF Washington city.
Let me say" continued Professor
Webster, that sacks OF seed left stand
ing In the fields may attract the insect
as hiding place. There is just as much
danger, however, OF the wecvil finding
a place IN a crate OF apples or any other
article shipped from Il field as In alfalfa
seed.
"At this time ] cannot say what the
outcome OF our experiments in Utah VIII
he, / was here for a short time last
year. Since then the weovil has spread
rapidly. We hope To be able TO get the
foreign parasites started this year SO
they Will live through the winter and be
the majority OF experiments We conduct
here this year viii not be fruitful of re-
suits or give us 4 chance TO observe re
suits unul next year We want To be
likely 10 be productive Of results from
our work this year. The sovernment:
through this department, no doubt Will
follow 'he experiments up until those in
charge will be able 10 tell the farmers
what must be done 10 check The growth
CT the wecvll
Life Of Parasite Problem.
Among the first things 10 be ascer-
tanned will be whether or not the para
sites We are bringing over from Italy,
Russia and eastern Asia will live in this
climate. Tic supposition is that the
parasite will li2e aud increase in any
do not know this 10 he true here in Utah
Thus lar the weather has hindered some
In conducting our experiments here, IS
soon as the cool wealth breaks we viii be
able to carry along the work more rap
idly. We have FOUND difficulty In get
ting enough weevil eggs TO keep the para
sites alive In the laboratory.
Considerable Of the expense OF our eX
pcrments is incurred In research work
in the old country. The bureau has one
American there. and Russian graduate
gathering the parasites for shipment.
Girls are employed To go Into the fields
and make the collections. They work
rapidly and At small wages. The work
as possible consistent with accurate and
lasting work. The bureau is dependent
upon congress for funds and just as that
body secs it To give money to work
with Will the work of finding some means
of cXterminn ting the weevil be brought
about-that Is. practical determination,
because T.. is impossible totally TO de-
stroy the wcevil..
The grave danger that threatens in
the spread OF tho weevil 10 all alfalfa
producing sections OF the state has been
brought to the attention of the bureau
and for that reason the fight will be con-
Quoted as rapidly as our experiments
point oul way
Mr.. Webster will he in Salt Lake sew
cral days before returning tn Washing
ton City His trip is fully To acquaint
himself with conditions and The progress
OF the work as far as it has gone. When
he returns TO headquarters he will he able
10 direct the work with the assistance of
reports from the field men. While in the
city he will be u guest at the Cullen ho-
tel