Graham guardian., 1912-01-12
THE ALFALFA
WEEV|L PEST
DR.. Morrill, Gives Timely Ad-
vice to Farmers Regard
ing Control Of Weevil
LAW SHOULD Be AMENDED
So as to Provide Protection
Against the Pest Being
Brought to Arizona
Law SHOULD Be AMENDED

The Utah alfalfa weevil is not a
dead subject as far as its interest to
Arizona is concerned and unfortu-
nately it is not likely to become a
dead subject in the near future in
the important alfalfa growing west
ern states. AS entomologist of the
horticultural commission and OF the
agricultural experiment station, the
writer. has no authority to take any
steps to prevent or delay the in
PRODUCTION of this most serious pest.
The Southern Pacific and Santa Fe
railroads. however. have agreed to
cooperate with the horticultural
commission in doing whatever is pos
sible under the circumstances. Ac-
cordingly orders have been issued
by both of these railroads to their
agents at entrance points to notify
the writer whenever any freight
shipments of certain kinds which are
considered especially dangerous pass
their stations destined to Arizona
points.
The entomologist Of the United
States department Of agriculture in
his report for the last fiscal year
just published states tnat the stu
alton regarding the alfalfa weevil is
continually becoming more serious
and alarming" 1t has spread near
ly thirty miles during the past year
and is now found in Wyoming and
rear the Colorado line.
1t is of great Importance that we
in Arizona be on the alert to discov-
er any accidental introduction Of the
alfalfa weevil. The danger is suf-
ficiently great, considering the state
of Arizona as whole. to warrant
the employment of one good man to
give his entire time to disseminating
information, in inspecting sus-
pected localities and in general
making bimself useful in block
ing this pest at every turn.
Comparatively little can be done
now. Our law should be a
mended, however, to provide such
means of protection as are suggest
ed in the report of the entomologist
appended to the third report of the
Arizona horticultural commission, or
such other means as may seem ad-
visable.
AS an individual, without author
ity to do more than make sugges-
tions, the writer is endeavoring to
do whatever is possible to prevent
the accidental introduction of the
alfalfa weevil into Arizona. A strik-
ing example of the need of activity
in this line is shown by the presence
short time ago of apples in the
Phoenix markets which were packed
at Provo, Utah, a point located in
the weevil infested district. They
were purchased through Los An
geles wholesale fruit house. AS fan
as known, no other Utah products
are being shipped directly or indi
rectly into Arizona.
The danger in shipments Of ap
pies from Utah is due to the fac
that the insects scatter widely in tht
fall in search of favorable hiberna
ting quarters. Barn floors and wall
sometimes swarm with the weevil'
and fruit packing houses are by nj
means exempt from them. DR.. E
q. Titus, who conducted the investi
cations reported in bulletin ITO o.
the Utah experiment station, espec
tally calls attention to the danger OF
the pest being transported in frtii
packages. An employee of one o.
the wholesale fruit houses in Phoe
nix informs me that some weeks age
he found live insects not unlike the
.ypecjmens of the alfalfa weevi
which / showed him in an exhibition
ease. These may or NAV not havt
been the alfalfa leaf weevil. Never
,theless, the incident makes appar
.ent the danger Of live insects beini