| Show Emergency Control Methods For V Weevil cevil In Alfalfa Fields Dusting or spraying with calcium calcium calcium calci calci- um arsenate is the best emergency cy method of control when weevils have become so numerous that they are checking the growth of the alfalfa Arsenic poison sUc sticks s son on the growing plant in large enough quantities to kill the worms when they start to eat the leaves and buds Orchard spray machines may be used to spray spra the alfalfa They should be able to m maintain a minimum minimum mini mini- mum of ot 75 pounds presure A boom attachment can be made from one-half one inch iron pipe Nozzles Nozzles Nozzles should be selected which will mIl give a misty spray Two pounds of calcium arsenate should be used for each gallons of water and this mixture applied at the rate of gallons gallon's per acre Care should be taken to avoid spraying any part of the field several times One spraying will kill the Ule weevil and does not make the hay harmful harmful harmful harm harm- ful to livestock If a machine is to be purchased especially for weevil control a dust dusting dusting dusting ing machine rather than a sprayer should be considered A power duster capable of covering eight acres per hour can be purchased for about For many Utah farms a hand duster will suffice Such a machine capable of dusting one acre per hour can be purchased ed for about Calcium arsenate arsenate arsen arsen- ate te so finely powdered that no grit can be felt between the fingers should be applied at the rate of 2 21 2 2 1 pounds per acre in dusting I I I I preferably mixed with an equal I quantity of dusting sulphur Where dusting or spraying is not possible alfalfa w which ich Is stand standIng standIng standing Ing still or even going back because because because be be- cause of excessive weevil damage should be cut and removed from the field as quickly as possible The ground should then be th thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- roughly r- r stirred with a to be followed by a w wire re drag made by putting net wire or barb barbwire barbwire barbwire wire under the backward tilted I teeth of a harrow Leave the soil Due to increased labor expense the loss of hay and the difficulty of securing irrigation water at the proper time the dragging method of weevil con control Is only recommended recommended recommended mended as a last resort I I As a precaution in areas where weevil damage is probable this year every farmer should find out where he can get a machine on short notice for dusting or spray spray- ing He should know where he can secure the calcium arsenate The county agent will give assistance assistance assistance assist assist- ance in this regard 1 i I I Dusting spraying and dragging are emergency control measures i I I I I They are necessary some years when cultural control practices haves not been followed or unusual I i al weather is encountered The better method of insuring protection protection I I tion against weevil damage is to practice cultural methods of early earty I cutting of alfalfa as outlined in ina ina a previous article I |
