The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-08-11
BUTTERFLY
NOW THREATENS
OUR ALFALFA
Department of Agriculture
Digs Up Grave Menace to
Great Southwestern Crop;
Salt River Valley Response
bic.

bic.
Washington. ID. c., Aus. iu-The
heanlllnl alfalfa butterfly with IL.
golden aud ofaHee col0rs that con.
trast c-onspicuOusly with the briRh.
green OF the fields, briaes no enjoy
ment to the alfalfa grove LA the
southwest, Tor its Appearance may
mean that la G few weeks the bright
green OF the alfalfa may De trans-
formed into brown, dead stubble by
a caterpillar. Nearly every year this
happens 60 a greater or less degree
In the Imperial valley OF California
and In the salt River valley Of Ari.
IONA. To aid these alfalfa grower 10
themselves OF this pest. lie United
States department OF agriculture ha-
Just Issued a bulletin (No. i24j en-
titled, The Alfalfa Caterpillar.
which may be had free OF charge b.
those who may profit b. IL.
The caterpillar that evolves from
h eggs Of the attractive butterfly il
found In all the United states save a
few on the Atlantic seaboard. It's
main sphere OF action. however, Is IA
the west. In the Imperial valley OF
California in 1919 the hay crop was
lessened Sy o%ue-thlrd through the
feeding OF these caterp' ars. In 1919,
fields In the SAN River valley OF Ari-
zona had as much as so per cent OF
the alfalfa destroyed. In these
southwestern sections alone from
$4,000 10 S1.O0O.O OO damage an
nually results from its rRvases.
The butterfly Is an easy one To sim
gle out. The wing is an orange color
with a black outer border aud a light
or yellow color on tue lower side with
no border. There IS a small black
spot In zach Of the fore wings and a
spot OF orange on each hind
wing. When the butterfly Is at rest
the lower surface OF the wing IL the
one noticed. The larvae that hatch
the egg Of The butterfly are
dark, tiny. cylindrical objects. which
soon take GA a green color almost
exactly the shade Of the alfalfa. The
caterpillar within Il days attaina a
OF Ia inches.
Energetic Farmer May DO Much 10
Eliminate Pest.
The energetic, up-to-date farmer
can greatly reduce and at times elm
totally the damage done by the
caterpillars % the alfalfa butterfly.
The Tiny larva from which the cater
pillar develops, IL exposed to the hot
sun and dust soon dies. and when
methods OF haying are fol-
lowed under a hot sum-, most OF the
die. The careful farmer
who follows the suggestions given
herewith should save a great part OF
alfalfa crop from destruction.
SugscstI ms sor Control.
Keep the ranch In the best possible
condition. Irrlsatc It often
and thoroughly ana as soon after ut
ting as the crop Of hay can be gotten
m the ground.
Renovate every winter and during
he month OF August, or even oftener
II possible. either Dy disking or by
use Of an alfalfa %rei,ovator. thus dis
ans pupae that may be pres
ant. and putting the land and alfalfa
In condition for good growth Of sue
'eeding crops.
Cut the alfalfa close TO the ground
md clean, especially along the ditch
borders. and turning rows. as
welt as In the main part Of the field.
Cut the alfalfa earlier than Is the
rule. The proper time Is
when II Is Just coming In bloom or II
,ne-tenth In bloom. Watch for cat
in the early spring crop, and
Z many nearly grown ones are OBJ
cut tho hay a few days before
I is In bloom, and thus save the next
future crops.
A minimum amount OF damage oc-
'urs In Fields that are Systematically
,astured all or a part OF the time.
A field should never be abandoned
because the caterpillars threaten the
OF a crop OF alfalfa before
he hay can possibly mature Now u
4 once, cutting Il low and clean. thus
aving part OF the present crop, and
u so doing starve. and allow the heat
Il the sun to kill. a great many of
his generation Of worms. Follow this
y disking and then by either rolling
n brush dragging, and a great major
" Of any remaining larvae will be
The ground should then be
Irrigated. and by these
the coming crop will be as
ured.
ihfht9h uHt NHhh'ns Nhth 'h'N |
a the run or the field will keep the
of the caterpillors al \ min
The protection OF toads should be
ncouraged, as they eat many OF these
as well AS other Injurious
II has been noted that n carrying
AT Of only part OF these recommenda-
vii. not al all save ones crop.
he best results come 10 the n who
thorough In method.
Cooperation among all farmers Ia
ecessary to suppress an insect attack
ompletely. An occasional outbreak
been known 10 occur upon = farm
? ranch that Is under the best poA
bile condition OF crop culture. but In
ach case Il was noted that the care
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