The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-01-11

n q "a, ~ = - . z = 81 " I -
2 The eariies pods have an Is;
lpecialIy large percent IL ge Of the seeds
infested With chal tis-iiy larfae.
3. The chal cis7dy larvae are able
to pass completed through the first
4 generation ID the eaflies pods before
1.-THE regular seed fields are sufficiently
advanced for ovipositi6n.
This cutting should be done VIII
the harvesting OF each hay crop, be-
4 fore the seed crop Is grown s.
1T Is sometimes necessary 10 have
two or. more irrigation bitches ylin-
lining parallel. making It impractic able
4 to cut the alfalfa between them. In
lsncii cases 1t is economy to fence the
i bitches and use this land as a small
summer pasture, thus preventing the
yelopment OF alfalfa seed pods and
i the chalcis-fIies.
Winter Cultivation.
In the process of harvesting the
4 seed crop many pods containing iii-
Tested seeds will Tall to the ground.
4 Here they remain until the blowing
i spring when the Undertaking insects
emerge A thorough cultivation With
Ian anfa1fa cultivator, AT some time
4 late in the fall or In early winter,
will sufficiently cover such pods and
1 will prevent the emergence of most
kof the adults when the warm spring
weather arrives.
| After fine alfalfa Is thrashed the
Egreat mass of screenings which Is felt
A Frequently contains large numbers OF
L seeds infested with hiharuaffua tat
4 vac. ~ the chan together with the
screenings, is placed in q compost
pile Tor three or four months so, that
~ will become heated and decay, most
4 OF the insect lie VIII be destroyer
Unless 1t is possible to treat the
screenings IN this manner they should
be burned before the growing season
opens in the spring.
Many OF the alfalfa seed pods along
/ check ridges and fence lines may be
DESTROYED by burning on the weeds
4 and Alfalfa. This should be done
either In the fall or early spring.
Planting Clean Seeds.
In purchasing alfalfa seed. farm
ers should insist upon having seed
which has been well cleaned after
Ithrashing and should never plant the
unclaimed product In new fields. IN
many localities much of the seed Is
Esold both by farmers and by local
dealers without first having been
cleaned The product OF such seed
when harvested from the late crops
Frequently contains a. ten to fifteen
per cent infestation Of alternating
chalcis-fy larvia. The planting OF
ft,to xfUnu
the chalcisStly a start in the new
field, as we'll as resulting in q poor
stand.
Cutting the Seed Crop.
1T is not an uncommon practice for
4 the farmer to allow the seed crop to
remain on the fields an excessive per
iod 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 sas fully de-
veloped, half-grown, and newly form-
4 ing pods.
Observations show that many of the
/ chalcis-hies 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
will be as uniform as possible, and
the crop should then he harvested as
soon as the larger number Of the
pods are ripe.
stacEing tue seea NIop.
IL 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
indefinitely. In midsummer most OF
them, however, emerge within three
or four weeks after the crop is har-
vested. Where later seed crops are
grown, it is therefore advisable to
stack the early crops as soon as pos
sible, thus preventing the free etnerg-
e.. y III