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Show Weevil Damage is Decreased by Control Research By George F. Knowlton US4.C Extension Entomologist . Research on alfalfa weevil control con-trol conducted largely by F. v. Lieberman, U. S. Department of Agriculture entomologist, located at the Utah State Agricultural College Agricultural Experiment StE hasSto a large extent made possible the elimination of alfalfa weevil crop losses: During the several sev-eral seasons since the development of the new spring stubble-treat-mtnt to kill adult weevils, estimated estimat-ed crop savings of million dollars dol-lars to nearly 1 million dollars have been acheived by our Utah farmers. Control the alfalfa weevil in early ear-ly spring. Do this by means of a heptachlor or dieldrin stubble spray Mr. Lieberman and other Utah State Agricultural College entomologists advise. This involves using 4 ounces of actual heptachlor hepta-chlor or dieldrin per acre. To be most beneficial this spray should go on when alfalfa first growth is only to 2 inches high. This oc-currs oc-currs fairly early, we must remember. remem-ber. This early spring treatment is aimed at destroying the overwintering overwin-tering alfalfa weevils before the females lay their eggs. Only a fev; female weevils mature sexually and lay eggs in the fall. This early spring treatment makes for better quality and more alfalfa,. for larger larg-er alfalfa seed crops, and makes is unnecessary to have an insecticide residue present on first crop alfalfa alfal-fa when it is cut for. hay. Wait 3 days before harvesting heptachlor-treated hay. Wait 15 days after treatment before cutting cut-ting hay treated with parathion, aldrin or lindane. Do not feed alfalfa al-falfa from crops treated with DDT ot dairy animals being milked, to animals being fattened for slaughter slaugh-ter or to poultry. When heptachlor, chlordane, or dieldrin is applied for early-seasons control of alfalfa weevil adults, it is best not to allow al-low dairy animals being milked to graze on the alfalfa until after the first cutting. |