Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-06-27
ALFALFA AND OTHER FIELp8 IN
WESTERN IOWA DEiNo
RUINED.
DUE TO OLD pAsrvREs
ADJACENT TO CROP LANps
Expert From Ames Called to lnvssti-
gate Says Crops Should 30 Related
Frequently TO Prevent Similar Raw.
asss-Eirst Alfalfa Crops Not Dam.
aged, Second Destroyed.

10
growers in western Iowa have been
greatly alarmed for several days past
because Of the havoc that Is being
wrought In their fields by what ap-
pears to be cutworm.
Henry Klahn, living ten miles east
Of Council Bluffs, had an alfalfa field
OF twenty acres In which the second
crop was practically destroyed by a
dark green colored worm with light
yellow spots over the back, which was
at first believed to be an army worm,
but which has now been designated as
a sort Of a cutworm.
Henry Brandt, also Pottawattamie
county farmer, has had five acres of
alfalfa practically destroyed by this
worm. Several other farmers have
noted the presence of this worm in
their fields, tho it is not believed that
the destruction has been SO great in
other places as in the two fields noted.
The information was sent to the coll
lege authorities at Ames, and Prof. r.
l.. Webster, assistant state entomolo-
gist, came here Monday evening and
Tuesday spent the whole day in COM
pany with Bruce Crossley and several
other interested farmers making
thorough investigation and study of
the situation.
Professor Webster had not been in
Mr.. Klahn's field more than ten min
utes until he discovered the pest which
was destroying the alfalfa, and in an
other ten minutes he mad discovered
that this worm also had its parasite,
which was getting in its work, and
thousands Of dead worms were found
in the field. After spending the day
investigating the matter thoroughly
Professor Webster reached the con-
clusion that these worms are the pro-
ducts of eggs that were laid last fall in
blue grass pastures.
Near Blue Grass Pasture.
This alfalfa field was located Inn
mcdiately adjacent to an old blue grass
pasture, and as soon as the worms
were Matched by the warm sun OF the
past two weeks they moved over into
the alfalfa field and began operations
which resulted In the complete de-
struction in this case Of what was to
be the second cutting. ).
The nrst crop was not damaged, but
had been harvested. and the second one
was well under way when the worms
attacked 1t.
Professor webster says this Is the
first case Of this kind which has come
to his attention In this country. In
Colorado alfalfa growers have been
troubled to some extent by what is
known as the alfalfa weevil. but this
IL the first instance when pest of
this character has appeared in the al
falfa fields of this section Of the coun-
try.
The remedy suggested by Professor
Webster is crop rotation. These blue
grass pastures, which have been con-
tinued for years without breaking up.
have become the breeding place for all
sorts Of insect pests. The frequent
breaking up Of these pastures, he af-
firms, will destroy these breeding
places and rid the farmers Of these
insect pests.
should Rotate Other Crops.
While here Professor Webster went
into potato patch where the potatoes
did not seem to be- thriving and the
farmer was unable to understand 1t.
The vines had been we'll cultivated and
there were no bugs on them. Mr.. Web
ster promptly discovered what he
called a potato borer on the lower part
of the potato stalk where they could
be detected by the naked eye
In another place he went into field
where pumpkin vines were growing,
but did not seem to be thriving. He
declared in this case that in his judg-
ment pumpkins had been raised, on this
ground for four or Ave years. His
surmise was correct.
He used all these Illustrations to en-
phatically bring out the necessity OF
crop rotation. He was especially en-
phatic in his statement concerning the
need Of breaking up old blue grass
pastures. He suggested also that those
the sowing of alfalfa
should keep it as far away as possible !
from sections that have been a long
time in blue grass.