The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1914-02-19
AGRICULTURAL NEWS NOTES
Extension Department, College, Of Agriculture
Morgantown, West Virginia
Warning to Fruit Growers

publication said, West Virginia
viii again be over-run by a horde
of seventeen-year locusts, this
year. This insect, the periodical
cicada, will appear in all the
counties north of the great Kan
awha river and west of the AL
Nlegheny mountains. Besides this
the broo viii occur in the great
er por ion of Grant AMI Hardy
COUNTIES and in narrow strip a
cross the western part of Miner
a! county. About the middle Of
May the immature insects come
out of the ground where they
have spent nearly II years Of
their lives and crawl up some ob-
ject, as weed or bush. where
they rest. Here the skin on the
back splits open and the winged
adults worS their way out.
Serious damage is done to fruit
orchards whenever a brood Of
these insects appear and there
are no rae zeal methods of pre-
We ting their work except, per-
haps, IN tAc-case Of a few young
trees not more than two or three
yelrs old. The habit of the fe-
male Of puncturing the twigs to
form a suitable place to deposit
eggs, accounts for the serious in
jury done to orchards. This in
jury weakens The branches to
sub an extent that thew are cas-
lily broken ard are killed outright.
For the benefit of the young
orchard trees it is advised that
no pruning be done this season
until after the cicada has finished
its work. Summer pruning may
then be done. la pruning after
cicada injury, cut out as far as
possible all injured twigs and
branches. Orchards planted this
spring will undoubtedly be badly
stung if they are within the in
tested area mentioned.
farmers Institutes in West virginia
50.771 persons were presens at
the $50 farmers institute SEES
sions held in West Virginia last
year. lis two-day and IA one
day Institutes were conducted.
practically every county in the
State having at least a two ses-
sion program. The honors for
best attendance go to Minnora,
Calhoun county. The average
attendance per session at Minno-
ga was 427 1-2 on a total of 2137-
LIZ for the five sessions.
The Institutional force includ-
ed at different times a total Of 20
men and 8 women. The number
of Institutes visited by any one
lecturer varied greatly, none at
tending more than % different
institutes At every institute an
effort was made to adapt the in
struetion to the local needs of the
community and in large num-
Der Of the places visited some
permanent interest was establish
ed. In many sections local dem
onstrations aimed at better Ter
tiliiy, better crop production or
better live stock, were started
On every side the expression
was heard that the institutes
were the Lest held for many
years.
Alfalfa in West Virginia
G. H. Boyce, manager Of Wad
dington Farms near Wheeling,
says that the siage and alfalfa
will ultimately be everywhere
recognized as the standard dairy
ration. Siage makes the best
possible use Of the corn crop and
alfalfa furnishes an abundance
Of nutritious hay from q limited
area of land. Mr.. Boyce states
positively that West Virginia
soils will produce four ton Of alf
alta hay per acre year after year
He emphasizes the fact however
that much must be done by was
Of preparing the soils and supply
ing an abundance Of plant fooc
before success can be obtained
with alfalfa. No further ex
perimenting is needed to demon
strate that alfalfa will grow III
is actually growing in PRACTICAL.