The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1918-05-25
A SHORTAGE OF
RED CLOVER SEED

In view Of the fact that there Ia
a serious shortage of red cover seed
and little immediate prospect OF re-
lief through importation. Il il OF the
utmost Importance that every means
be taken to enlarge our domestic
supply. This. says the United States
Department of Agriculture. can be
accomplished In large measure by
controlling during the spring and
summer the clover flower nudge,
which has long been recognized by
clover seed growers as their most
serious pest. The nudge Is COM
mon In the Eastern and Central
States. and since 1913 II has made
It's appearance In the red clover
fields of the Pacific coast.
| The clover flower nudge. as the
name implies. works In the flower.
feeding upon those parts which nor
mally would develop into seed. The.
adult insect is a delicate. mosquito
like fly. II passes the winter ~ u
lGrva, or maggot. but the first warm
days Of April bring them from their
cocoons. and by the first Of May the
larger portion Of the brood has eth
er begun to transform or Is in the.
pupa stage. Two or three weeks Ia
ter. depending upon the season. the
Transformation Is complete and the
adults emerge. The females proceed
to the small green clover heads, 60
ing from one to another and laying
In all about 100 eggs. When the
larvae. or maggots. hatch they make
serious inroads on the clover bios
SONS. which show the injury very
plainly as the petals Of the f1oret-
rarely expand. Infested heads are irA-
regular or NANCY in appearances
There are several broods Of this pest
each summer.
While there are few natural
enemies to the clover flower nudge
they can not be depended upon to-
lcontrol 1t. Control measures CON
sist In keeping the blossoms from
forming during the early part OF
the summer or before the seed crop
Is made. The practice OF pasturtng
clover during April and May. or
previous to starting the seed CROP
has proven to be very effective
means Of mide control. This results
lin direct destruction Of the clover
heads containing the eggs and par
TALLY grown larvae. or Indirectly by
preventing the heads from forming,
during the time the adults OF the
spring generation are laying their
eggs. In case the pasturlng has
not been close enough to get all or
the heads. a mower should be run
over the fields shortly after the
stock Is removed in order to cut
what remails.
Another contrOi measure consists
lin cutting the crop early for hay. TO
practice this effectively the farmer
must keep himself informed not
only as to the development OF the
clover itself. but also as to the de-
velopment OF the nudge larvae with
In the heads.
A good rule to follow is to cut
the hay crop during the first week
in June. providing the weather Is
favorable. II 1t is rainy at that time
wait and cut the crop as soon as the
sky clears and the weathed becomes
settled. Clipping the clover back
between the 10th and 25th OF May
has also been practiced with success
Some farmers who cOmbIae clover
seed production with dairy ne find
1t desirable to cut their clovrr amt
, feed 1t green during the spring and
summer This practice affords an
effective means OF controlling the
midke, providing the same precau-
ton is taken as in clipping; that Is
that the clover be held back suffi-
GENTLY 10 prevent young heads OF
the seed crop from developing be-
fore the middle of June.
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