Show I N I WESTERN NATURE STUDIES I II I By J H PAUL k IMPROVEMENT ENT AND PRESERVATION OF THE ALFALFA rJ o preserve and Improve the theand thet j l rn t and roost most valuable western r d i furnish h excellent subject intensely interesting Flue r t foOl i i I i ins ns s if It teachers could only F 1 Delves n up to the point of get n the f frI fi n farmers necessary I YS t s a help In this direction V t ot t ty additional facts will wilt now bet bej be c j i The writer will be gratified from local growers any sug to tr other of good praco k o indicated herein The Tho facts r many nany additional ones may be bearr tn arr rj i rom from publications of the state I Ir nt nt stations notably those of d rado Kansas Kanas and Wisconsin Tr TI p r bulletins will be sent free to toV tol V hn l writ for them Improvement of Alfalfa n prove pr alfalfa it should be berr b rr from seed eed alone atone care being Ih ah rat at the seed eed selected select d has not noti i I by foreign pollen i n r plants By nerous it rous mUa plants of distinctive tT ir s c icing ning to each its own pollen or orn ori i pr n from a I plant of equal merit merita a 1 milar growth the strong and andi i jib hI types that arise arli from Bi variation can be perpetuated Al Ali Alea i ea a doe 10 not seem te to degenerate from rr the problem of arU arti fir a fertilization f is 18 therefore a simple on Hand Pollination J 1 1 cluster in full lull bloom is issi si r 11 ri quee queered ed between the thumb and the hr first and second fingers and at C i the same ame time lightly rolled the tr gg r mechanism m hanl m of the alfalfa blos bIos sv i ill III be sprung In lI such h a way as to too nty o 0 r tl tlc tLe c stigma tI a with pollen One per pert perr t h ii 11 r ht thus pollinate by hand sov soy n r f rewired plants In tn a day It would wouldn nr r n IP c ary iry to screen these plants till un tilli h i oj i thus thu obtained should be suf auf sufI I n i amount for planting a 8 large larget it t i I wherein the flowers would be bei bekI i 1 ik K kI lv ly to get pollinated from the ther theor ot ur r l 1 nits In the same f field fieldI I 1 falfa faifa is kept caged in wire wirer ser r on o that insects I ts cannot reach it St Stash ash jf ui n occasional plant will bear a arod Ato ases ses to rod rI r the remainder becoming barren bar barr barrt rt ren r r T TV The explanation of this curious f t was TV iJ found out by our pupils in I making taking some observations on the al alfalfa alfalfa alfalfa falfa l tern tHI o years ago airo 8 0 and was given at r in III the preceding article Improves With Age i 11 f alfalfa is grown upon a ait ajI afir fir it jI r UK the easier It ft seems to tn be to raise raiseh Jt h ti to ir rc from seed This may IDa be due duei i i r I to the increased ed knowledge of the thet t ir rr i T or as to how ho to roar rear the crop or to th 1111 In fart fait that the land probably becomes t h adapted to tp the alfalfa plants perhaps p rh ps from the multiplication of the then theno HP no n pv pay a bacterial organisms at the root Succeeds In Various Soils Solis succeeds in a it variety of ot soils solis from and sand to clay cia and gumbo A Ai Ap dp i pp p fertile clay cia loam well supplied with kith mineral ingredients te Is most favor 1 hIp but ut hI plant does doe not on oa a aTm aVry avery very Vry wet Tm oil or on one De deficient in Imp Ime On thin land it starts slowly yet nn v n there it usually succeeds after a at af t f n ears w m ill in n making a thrifty thrift growth Seed Should Be Clean and Large JoM alfalfa seed sted has baa a characteristic fright ar color inferior seed a dull noak pak rak seed a shrunken appear i r f e The only known way of testing th i of s seeds ed Is by b making trials to t a how many of oC them will germinate The seed peed of the dodder the worst of ot r weeds W s in th the western lucern fields ruse II he hr recognised by Q Its smaller size inn n j may mav ma be screened from the larger Jerger r t of fI alfalfa by the use of a Ii dodder I te rn ereT teT T o amount to sow is I ten or twelve 1111 of or good seed to the acre fi n nin in r he hI season reason fa on having much to do 1 I r with securing a Ii successful r m Best B st Kind of SeedBed T M red i bed should be mellow but ui prized about bout as 88 deep only as ass to n s sr vi ri f i is ii planted while the soil soli be beah beal ah eath al should be rather firm but not too toora mi ra if 01 1 r This condition conditt may attained nit by cultivating the surface ettl d fall plowing or by II disk x u Id harrowing unplowed corn land lands landi i s Test Ek Moisture Heat and Air Airi i under soil supplies i the seed Ii 1 tur from the tM action of tC capil ct on the lifting power fOX ex c ct I t the Hw moisture ture that IB is still deep deepe II t e a round ground while th tM the cov N the hf air and heat ht to reach d 0 from above T three factors moisture heat he t tIff are Iff for the ger gern n of seeds t proper sc d b bM bed fw fOt toll fall planting b h r secured by summer plowing the 1 H rl immediately aft after harve harv harvesting ting nr at fir t nr or early arly spring grain or hy by bar har barn nw nn n ft I r tusking it at intervals until reed r K g i t u ac or lr by fallowing any I and ird with Mit t tv a summer previous to seeding InS 0 a n r 1 r s ring seeding on ou we weedy dy land JaM It 5 i tn to he P b best t to start t UK Ute r of nf the seed bed tori in la early ear spring hv by h plowing or Of by cultivating with a disk harrow The seed may be planted with a drill that covers COErs the seed with one to one on and inches of the soft top toll soil and so presses it down upon the seed that the soil is compact enough to draw up wa ter from beneath by the action of the I capillary forces between the soil soU grains j jUse Use of the Harrow T 1 1 I Harrowing may be repeated to con i serve sere the moisture and to destroy the weeds Late in the spring soon after t tEr a good rain sow now flO the seed eed which will then germinate quickly and may out grow th the weeds weede May Ia seems to be our best time and the press drill the best b t Implement for sowing alfalfa seed Iced j Effects of Rolling Roiling If the seed seal Is IB planted too deep the young shoots will often be unable tto to reach the surface If a dry spoil foi fol lows the seeding It may be safer to roll j the land lahd in order to compact the soil i i about the seeds and so 50 to supply supply them I with moisture from beneath but H 1 raking should follow folios the roll ng be j fore fon many man days otherwise e hf hr i moisture mol turp will escape le by b evaporation I from the t e compacted surface It Pays to Cultivate I Ten Eyck Eck maintains that it pays to I cultivate alfalfa just as is it St pays pas to cul cut culI I j corn and other crops Ho lIe says sa I that the next season S after seeding a I I I heavy t o harrow may ma be beI I II I used in the spring to loosen the pur sur j i face soil and as soon as a the alfalfa i i has become well established the field may ma be disked or cultivated with ih the h regularly each e rh I spring and perhaps during the season eason after each cutting By B thorough cuU curtt cultivation I late Jo In the season after the third thin or fourth cutting Jt t is often possible to destroy many weeds eeds such as crabgrass crab crabgrass grass and foxtail the worst weed ene enemies ne mies of alfalfa Improves Soil Soli Texture Other reasons for cultivation aro are that hat it loosens loo the soil favors aeration forms a mulch to conserve soil soU moisture j and presents a Ii surface favorable to to the i absorption of rains minI Fresh air all is ne Jed de deep p down among th soil FOil grains the roots mus mug i and the plants I will ill perish if toP are In deprived or o f oxy y i gen by too hard hand a soil FOil Aids Nitrate Formation The alfalfa bacteria on the roots mi ml mst st t also have ho air from which to get the free r nitrogen for unless these organisms thrive and multiply the alfalfa will fail fall to receive the important food element the nitrates which these microscopic plants supply to its roots Destroys Insect Enemies Cultivation is likely to de d tt trey the th eggs and larvae of certain insect ene enemies I mies of ot alfalfa the webworm army arm worm cutworm and fall webworm Grasshoppers Gm hoppers are reduced in N by disking in winter or in early spring sprint I Fertilizes the Land Moreover cultivation incorporates fertilizing material Into the soil soli splits open the crowns of the alfalfa pUnt plants causing them to stool out into Inu a 8 Kr s t T r number of stems and on Silt no I areas lets air and moisture UK dry crust that tends to form at the II face race afta irrigation tion or spring sprint fr shet he br Strong Summary When hen we e call to mind says r Had H ud ad lie tiE that the grasshopper passes pa the winter In the sol soil in the egg stage sta e that the webworm armyworm rm worm and cut cutworms cutworms cutworms worms remain In the soil over oer win tet tetas as larvae larva the fall faU armyworm as a a II pupa and that the an aro dependent upon a H supply of gra per er eggs for food during one necessary stage stal it is plain that thoroughly stir stirring stirring ring the soil soli with a preferably the kind Just af ter the frost is out of the ground and before beCore the plants begin to grow or r better still in the tile late fall faU just before the ground freezes freese free if such a proceeding would not injure the plants will go tar far f r toward controlling th the insects insect enumerated enumerated tell During the rummer summer when these insects are in the field fleW or when the alfalfa is attacked by clover r bay worms leafhoppers prairie ants or pocket gophers the grower 1 must resort re ort to measures espe especially daily fitted to destroy the enemy In question flUE stion Insect Enemies Besides grasshoppers the imported alfalfa leaf weevil and the blister bee beetles beetles beetles already alreed described the principal in insect Ins insect sect s t enemies of the alfalfa plant are af garden webworms armyworms cut cut cutworms ule worms wonna leafhoppers the Mister buster beetle b and the chalets Web Worms Webworms are small green black dotted caterpillars that appear in June July and August and i ibind bind up the plant with webs The eggs are art lAid laW on the food plants and the tiny tin worms begin feeding as they grow constructing webs beneath which they feed In safety safet Usually the grower does not notice the trouble until his plants i ate are coveted covered with webs and seriously i j i ird damaged rd The first brood gets pets It Its growth In hr Juno June and goes goe into Ino the th i ground to pupate The moths emerge en In I early July Jut and anil lay tay eggs c gs for the de destructive destructive July Jut brood There are probably probably probably ably three broods of the worms worm the last passing g the winter in cocoon coMon in the soil Forcible spraying with arsenate arsenal of i lead mixture three thre to o six pounds to fifty gallon gallons of water w fer it is I recommended The Army Worm W rm I The army anny worm is a variable but usually or cater caterpillar caterpillar caterpillar pillar marked above with three narrow yellowish longitudinal stripes and on onh each h tide side IM with a slightly broader and darker one It occasionally becomes a aI menace to alfalfa growing by stripping I the th foliage f from large Jerge arras areas It passes the th winter in the soil as a caterpillar otherwise its It life history Is 1 almost identical with that of the fall army worm The fall army arm worm Is very similar in habits habit and general appearance to the true army worm It may be identified by a yellowish tripe strips down the middle of f the back and a longitudinal pitch colored stripe on each side There Thoro are i I four tour black spots arranged in pairs I along long Its back The worm is about an anInch anInch I Inch in length and not quite so large as the th true army worm onn The moth lays Jas her eggs on the grass graM In clusters lusters of about nth flit and these hatch in about I ten t n days da There are two or three broods a year vr The winter is passed passel In the I stage While the th grasses and md cereals form I th the food of the army worm lt tt Italo also alo feeds on a large variety of other cultivated plants including alfalfa of I which it Is peculiarly fond The remedies suggested are trapping I in trenches harvesting the crop and rolling tolling the field or spraying a narrow strip trip of If the just ahead of the tho trav traveling traveling eling army arm with arsenate of lead tead or trusting dusting it w th paris pans green besides b the i lib ra ai tr butin n of o f poisoned poi ned brad bradi br i mash mari marij j rut inns are arc plump caterpillars I I from or ens ad d UIn foUrths to two t o I I i I I I i Inches S long lon when fully rull grown of or dull brown gray gra or greenish hue generally marked with ith longitudinal stripes stripe oblique ob oblique oblique lique dashes and dots with head and first segment reddish brown and horny horn The variegated cutworm sauna is III the most common and does occasional damage to the crop during late spring It is If a wide feeder work working working I ing on field garden and greenhouse I plants as well wen as on the foliage and fruit of trees It passes pa es the winter as asa asa asa a larva 1818 in the soil emerging from win winter winter winter ter quarters in the late spring It has three broods Poison sprays and bran mesh have been found effective effective tive tle but alfalfa sprayed d with poison polson cannot safely be used t sed for hay hayThe hayThe hayThe The Leaf Hoppers Leafhoppers are arc small green or gray Insects that when disturbed hop and andI fly swiftly about among the plants Several Severo I species do serious damage to young oung alfalfa They The are usually Riled caned gray gra or er green files flies They The do not consume con consume on sume ume f the stems stema or foliage but thrust their beaks Into the leaves or tender shoots and suck the sap When hen they are arc abundant the leaves turn yellow and the plants make no growth A of special type as the insects are small and cannot jump very high may ma be run on the ground with the front edge turned up Just lust enough to avoid old scraping up the toll soil It should be coated Inside with Coal tar because this substance will neither stop slop nor spill yet et is quite sufficient t to hold and kill leafhoppers Clover The clover l ver Is 13 a medium sized caterpillar with a 3 a 11 ring on each segment It infests and eats au the stacked st hay Living giving j I it a mouldy mould appearance app arane from the threads it spins Stacking in new places and the usual remedies are ace re required required required Clover Seed i ed are tiny four i winged black flies whose grubs feed teed singly upon the forming tissue of or the tins seeds undergo their then emerge as adults through h little round holes in the Former Formerly ly devoting their attention to the s seed Med MedoC seedof ed edof of oC red clover of recent years they have shown a II liking for alfalfa destroying almost SO se per cent of the seed Hell from one of the Ute experiments at th the Kansas station The female I inserts fetU her ber eggs in the tho young seed and the tiny grub consumes the growing tissue The insect comes at a time when its work makes no noticeable difference in the appearance of the head hoad The tory tery of or the fly is le incompletely worked out therefore no reliable measures can be suggested The Common Red Ant The red ants Pogo often otten locate in alfalfa fields They clear away the vegetation vegetation vegetation from a small area arM and construct their mound In the center They The excavate excavate vate extensive series of chambers with connecting galleries reaching far down into the earth in |