Fergus County Democrat., 1915-01-14

product in new fields. In many locali-
ties much of the seed is sold both by |
farmers and by local dealers without
first having been cleaned. The prod
uct of such seed when harvested from
the late crops frequently contains a
10 to Is per cent infestatiOn of hiber-
mating chalcis fly larvae. The plant
ing of this uncleaned seed frequently
gives the chalcis fly start in the new
field, as we'll as resulting in poor
stand.
Cutting the Seed Crop.
1t is not an uncommon practice for
the farmer to allow the seed crop to
remain on the fields an excessive pc
riod in order that more of the green
pods may develop. In such fields on
the same plant are found ripe pods
bursting open, as we'll as fully devel-
oped, half grown, and newly forming
pods.
Observations show that many of the
chalcis flies infesting the earlier or
first pods have had sufficient time
to complete their life development,
emerge from the seeds, and deposit
their eggs into the green pods grow
ing on the same plant upon which they
themselves were fostered.
In view of this the seed crop should
be so handled that the setting OF pods
viii be as uniform as possible, and the
crop should then be harvested as soon
as the larger number of the pods are
ripe.
Stacking the Seed Crop.
1t has been demonstrated that great
numbers of chalcis flies emerge from
the seed pods at about the time the
pods ripen and continue to emerge in
definitely In midsummer most of
them, however, emerge within three or
four weeks after the crop is harvest
ed. Where later seed crops are grown,
it is therefore advisable to stack the
early crops as son as possible. thus
preventing the free emergence offered
by leaving the crop in shocks on the
field
Destroying Bur Glover.
In some localities bur clover grows
abundantly and natures its seed pods
in early spring. The chalcis flies thus
have already completed the develop
ment of an entire generation in the
seeds of these plants before the al
falfa seed pods have developed in the
fldS Under such conditions it would
be we'll to destroy the bur clover pods
by burning the fence lines in the
spring. This can frequently be done
after the plants mature and before the
alfalfa seed crop comes on.
Cleaning the Seeds.
Some of the alfalfa seed growing dis
tricts have organizations among the
seed growers, with officers having
complete charge of cleaning and mar
keting the seeds for the growers. The
product handled through these organi-
cations is, for the most part, well
cleaned, so that nearly all Of the in
tested seeds are removed before mar
keting. When done on a large scale
the cost of cleaning the seed is about
/ 40 cents per 100 pounds. In addition
to removing the infested alfalfa seeds,
! this process removes the weed seeds,
and the product will then command
the highest market prices. Where it
is necessary to do the cleaning on the
farm, good results may be secured by
using the proper sieves in small fan
ming mill.
Necessity of Organized Efforts.
The habits OF this insect, together
with the general practices of alfalfa
seed growers, makes II necessary IOr
the growers of each district to cooper
ate in an effort to control this destruc-
tive seed pest While it is important
that each farmer do all in his power
to reduce the abundance of this insect
on his own farm, the efforts of an in
dividual are greatly hampered by the
negligent habits of a neighbor. The
rapid distribution from breeding cen
ters of the chalcis flies and the short
minimum period required for the de
velopment of the adults render organ
lied action necessary.