The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1956-06-12
Alfalfa Weevil Hits Farmers
For 100000 Spring Loss
In Seven County Area Here
Agent Says: Dent
Be Discouraged,
Get Out the Spray

The alfalfa WCcVll. a pest with a
ravenouS appetite. has cost farmers
IN a ScvCn-cOunty SouthSidc area
conferred in Prince Edward over
500 900 this spring, but his DAYS
are numbered if recommended dc
Tense practices are started
The heavy loss comes from the
weevil'S nroadS into the spring S
first cutting. County Agent E F.
Striplin estimates the pest destroyed
at least half of it.
In Prince Edward County alone.
one-half of the first cutting amounts
to about $50 tons and ~ = "oASc"v-
'tlve price estimate of $50 ton,
the loss amounts. to $40 800 That
must be multiplied by losses in the
remaining SIX counties where spring
infcstation is heavy
Stopped by Spray
Striphn says that many 90
damymen applied the recommended
heptachlor spray to the first cutting
and saved about the normal crop.
Unsprayed alfalfa, on the other
hand, was completely destroyed in
most cases.
The seven counties produce APP
proxlmately 5000 acres of alfalfa
the most important hay crop to
0a,rymer in Virginia The first cut
ting represents about one third of
the annual production Of two and
ono half to three tons per acre
Farmers who have not sprayed
the second cutting should do so inn
mcdiatcly. Strlplin warns. IT h c
adult WcCvil which was not cX-
pcCted to be problem. has
turned out to be a serious menace.
II has not only damaged alfalfa,
but has seriously injured other near
by plants such as soybcanS, butter
beans, melons, lcspedeza and Ia
dino clover 7
Here Long Time
The agent says many farmers
Welr caught off guard by assuming
the WecNil was present only temper
arily and would be gone in a month
after a change IN season or weather.
But he hasn't gone, he adds,
"ard farmers now should begin Wig
orouS spraying programs without
delay" Spraying should include the
alfalfa field and at least one addit-
,onal spray width beyond to protect
growing plants adjacent.
This isn't any fly-by-night diff
Guilty The Wcevll apparently is
problem well have to coutend with
regularly However, it can be con
tlol.cd ard in place of discourage
nent which many farmers now feel.
they should rout the pest with the
effective chemicals available" the
agcn; advises.
Best Hay Crop
There must be no thought of Civ
,n2 up lie adds. Alfalfa is superior
to any other hay crop for Virginia
IN yIclu per acre. feeding value and
taste to dairy cattle; in its all-sum-
mcr-.0Ac productive capacity. its
yield against ell types of trouble
giving it nCVer-a- complete failure
reputation. and its hong life span OF
three to six Years.
There S,mply is no other lcCumo
which proda,eS milk like alfalfa
ST. bin says I'm addition its value
is increasing with production of dis
case resistant varieties and the
timely use OF sprays
Win a $i5C spray unit about nor
ma, prCc in this area. farmer
can sp:ay at the rate of 10 to 30
acres III 8 day The recommended
spray. hcpAch'or costs b on
seventy cents per acre, since the
mixture should be pint in 20 gal
Ions Of water sufficient for an
acres WORK
Striplin said that county agents
welcome injuries from farmers
about recommended spray prac-
tees He also said that farmers
should Immediately report To agents
any Information on damage 10 other
nea, by crops Such reports Will as
sis, federal cntomologists who are
workine ~ this area following-up re
pot, of InfCStatlons.