The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-08-08

0
begins in early spring and is usually
ended by June 10. One efflcacious
method of controlling the pest, there
fore, is to destroy the eggs by pas.
turing the first crop up to that time.
AZ similar result may be obtained by
cutting the alfalfa green and feeding
1t as a soiling crop.
! III this Is not done the larvae hatcn
I in large numbers about the lart week
of May or earlier and eat the alfalfa
leaves so rapidly that the plant is
unable to outgrow the injury. After
the field is cut the larvae which have
been feeding upon the first crop gath.
er uron the buds of the stubble and
frequently consume all of the second
crop. BY that time most of the in.
sects have completed their growing
period and have gone into the pupal
or resting stage. The later growth
Of the crop, therefore, does not suf'
! fer from them.
To protect the crop pasturing, as
has been said, is effective in the ear
4 " part OF the season. The held
should be divided into two or three
lots and each lot should be pastured
alternately, the animals being left in
II until the alfalfa has been eaten
down close to the ground. The mum.
Der and size Of the lots should be
prorortioned to the producing power
OF the field and the number of ami.
mails to be pastured, SO that each lot
may be grazed about once in two
weeks. Pasturing should be contin'
ued until most OF the weevil eggs
have been laid, which. in practice
, means a little later than the usual
cutting time Of the first crop. This
method has the additional advantage
OF providing an economical method
of fattening live stock. Combined
with the proper feed OF grain, alfal
ia pasture is excellent for putting on
weight and 1t is said that many farms
would probably be more profitable II
their management centered about the
pasturing of stock on alfalfa Will
I the growing of enough other crops
| to provide grain and forage during
the year.
II the weevils are not killed early
t In the year they may be destroyed
, after the first crop has been removed
5 by getting rid of all the vegetation
=. in the field. crushing the clods. ant
1 filling the cracks so as to expose thu
3 entire surface to the sun. This II
, best done by covering the field will
| dust mulch, the dust being an ad
4 ditional means Of killing weevils
h Success obviously depends upon dc
t ing the work when the ground is DIR!
e and the weather warm and bright.
= The second crop may also be pre-
y tected by spraying the stubble. Spray
& Ing may also be resorted TO in tn
{ spring From 80 to 100 gallons pc
n acre Of mixture OF arsenite of zin
n and water in the proportion of fou
y pounds of powder in 100 gallons ar
e used for this purpose. The appars
e tus best suited for alfalfa sprayin
II is described in detail in the bulleti
already mentioned. Still another r,
n commentator made in this bullet
h Is the stimulation of the, growth G
5 the alfalfa by cultivating the iiel
= In the spring. This does not d,
e stroy the weevils but It serves
s produce larger and earlier yiel
r when their attacks make early Gu
q ting necessary.
e Up to the present. however, NOR
farmers are concerned with proven
ing the alfalfa weevil reaching the
fields than they are with, controllin
r. It in them. No one knows exactl
II how the weevils spread, but certai
: facts in regard to this matter hay
been ascer;ained. II Is known, fC
example, that the insects are ofte
found In green alfalfa fresh frol
the field and in second crop hay all
among potatoes which have been
contact with 1t. They are found ais
In cured alfalfa hay, especially thi
Of the second cutting. Potatoes of'e
are hauled in cars upon a bedding {
green alfalfa hay and there is da'
ger that the weevil may be tran
ported in this way On the otht
hand, however, there is no ev'denc
l to show that the wccvil spreads MOI
ror'dlv along railroads than els
where.