The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1916-10-27

held Is cut the larvae which have been
feeding upon the first crop gather
upon the buds of the stubble and fire.
quently consume all OF the second
crop. BY that time most of the insects
have completed their growing period
and have gone into the pupal or rest
Ing stage. The later growth of the
crop, therefore, does not suffer from
them.
To protect the crop pasturing, II
has been said, is effective In the early
pert of the season. The field should
be divided Into two or three lots and
each lot should be pastured alternate
ly, the animals being left In It until
the alfalfa has been eaten down close
to the ground. The number and size
OF the lots should be proportioned to
the producing power of the field and
the number of animals to be pastured
so that each lot may be grazed about
once In two weeks. Pasturing should
be continued until most of the weevil
eggs have been laid, which, in prac.
tice, 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 Will
the proper feed of grain, alfalfa pas
ture is excellent for putting on weighi
and 1t is said that many farms would
probably be more profitable If theil
management conferred about the pas
turing Of stock on alfalfa with the
growing OF enough other crops to pro-
vide grain and forage throughout the
year.
If the weevils are not killed early In
the year they may be destroyed after
the first crop has been removed by get
ting rid Of all the vegetation in the
field, crushing the clods, and filling the
cracks SO as to expose the entire sur
face to the sun. This Is best done by
covering the field with a dust mulch,
the dust being an additional means of
killing weevils. Success obviously de-
ponds upon doing the work when the
ground is dry and the weather warm
and bright.
The second crop may also be protect
ed by spraying the stubble. Spraying
may also be resorted to in the spring,
From so to 100 gallons per acre of q
mixture of arsenite of zinc and water
In the proportion of ounces of pow
der to 100 gallons are used for this
purpose. The apparatus best suited
for alfalfa spraying is described in
detail in the bulletin already men
toned. Still another recommendation
made in this bulletin is the stimula-
ton of the growth of the alfalfa by
cutivating the field in the spring.
This does not destroy the weevils but
1t serves to produce larger and ear
lier yield when their attacks make
early cutting necessary.
Up to the present, however, more
farmers are concerned with prevent
ing the alfalfa weevil reaching their
fields than they are with controlling 1t
in them. No one knows exactly how
the weevils spread, but certain facts
In regard to this matter have been
ascertained. 1t is known, for exam
pie, that the insects are often found
in green alfalfa fresh from the field
and in second-crop hay and among po-
tatoes which have been in contact
with it. They are found. also in cured
alfalfa hay, especially that of the sec
ond cutting. Potatoes often are haulet
in cars upon bedding Of green al
falfa hay and there is danger that
the weevil may be transported in this
way. On the other hand, however,
there is no evidence to show that the
weevil spreads more rapidly along rail-
roads than elsewhere.