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Show scientists By Cleon M. Hotter, Increased yields mean increased farm profits METE! mm. MS With A Information Agricultural Utah State Univer- Specialist sity Utah farm income could be increased by over dollars simply by boosting alfalfa yields from the present average of about 3.3 tons up to six tons per acre. Plant and soil OTM-ETOWS- E iflMSEJ MC1S. accessories, the tough and powerful be used as a garden tractor. It can plow, furrow and cultivate your soil. In a few seconds, tiller becomes a garden tractor that can the chain-drivehandle even the toughest garden jobs with ease. Snapper Tillers are well balanced and easy to handle. construction with 3 and 5 They're heavy duty, horsepower engines, and have fingertip controls located conveniently on the handles. See us for a free demonstration. Jfou buy a Snapper Tiller for quality, and you get much more. easy-to-insta- ll Snapper tiller can also n ONLY WITH A FUQUA McDonough Power Equipment, Inc., McDonough, Georgia 30253 A Fuqua Industry A-- Mower l Salt Lake City 437 East 9th South 364-365- 3 unmiinurt at State Utah University feel that this is not at all an unrealistic goal. Paul R. Daniels, USU Extension area agronomist, says, We have some good varieties on the market now and more will be on the market within about two years. With proper education on cultural practices, insect and weed control, and harvesting, there is no reason why we cant produce six ton yields in our state as an average. That increase would be mostly profit for the farmers. It would only take a little more water, a little more wire or twine for baling, and a bit more labor to haul it. Actually, the big expenses for land and harvesting equipment would be the same, so most of the increase would be profit. The first suggestion he gives is to rotate the fields more often than many farmers do. He says there are too many fields of old hay, some 20 years old. These yield poorly because they have gone largely to weeds asnd grass. When alfalfa is to be planted, get the soil tested to make sure the phosphorous levels are adequate. Then select an alfalfa variety that does well in the particular locality. Use a nematode resistant and disease resistant variety if these are problems in the area; otherwise, the alfalfa will die out in four or five years. Fertilize the new and old starts of alfalfa as needed. USU Extension Entomologist, Reed Roberts, points out that there are more than 400 different kinds of insects common to alfalfa fields. Many are beneficial and most do not present any problem to the growers. In Utah, the major insect pests of alfalfa are alfalfa weevil, lygus bugs, aphids, caterpillars,a grasshoppers and nearly dozen other common pests. The most important in Utah is the alfalfa weevil. It costs Utah growers about five million dollars annually. Many growers lose $25 to $50 an acre from the damage it does on first crop alfalfa. These losses can be cut to a minimum by using pest management procedures or chemicals to control the alfalfa weevil. In pest management, the aim is to preserve the weevil parasite and other beneficial insects while controlling the alfalfa weevil. He gives suggestions in an r, alfalfa weevil control control series No. 22, revised March 1976. One of the suggestions given to stop weevil damage while minimizing harm to beneficial insects is to cut the alfalfa early and then spray the stubble with an insecticide recommended for this purpose. Daniels says irrigation is not so critical with alfalfa as with many crops since it is a deep rooted crop. However, drought stress should be avoided where possible and over irrigation and ponding must be avoided so as not to drown out the alfalfa. cir-ula- This improving alfalfa production may be obtained from the local county extension office. ALFALFA WL-30- 6 Grower proven to be one of the highest yielding alfalfas in Idaho and Utah for the past eight years. In University trials it has consistently competitive varieties and has commercially proved its performance 6 has with top quality, high tonnage hay for grower after grower. winter hardiness, exceptional leatiness, fine stems, excellent resistance to pea aphid, spotted alfalfa aphid and bacterial wilt. Fast on regrowth, and 6 for one of the best stand persistence records of any alfalfa. Plant increased yield and profit potential! WL-30- WL-30- WL-31- ALFALFA 0 NEW... a variety specifically bred for areas of Utah where stem nematode is a problem. An extremely high yielder with greater leafiriess that means bigger tonnage. Multiple pest and disease resistance including stem nematode, spotted alfalfa aphid, pea aphid and bacterial wilt. Longer for profitable yields! stand persistence. Plant WL-31- 0 QERMAlNJSJnc Since Washington Utah . 1871 Idaho Fresno, California .A mmm i as? - a:fOl- n&T FUNKS G-57- 57 FOR SILAGE Full season is a proven favorite! Produces dependable, high tonnage yields of quality silage with high grain content. The No. 1 top yielder in last year's University of Idaho Trials at Caldwell with 27.9 TAcre corrected to 30 Dry Matter and first with 5.4 tons of TDNAcre. It has excellent stalk quality, likes crowding and off fast takes under cool conditions. Plant an outstanding hybrid' a W $& FUNKS G-43- 43 FOR GRAIN has an outstanding performance record Slightly maturing earlier than with an exceptionally fast Yielded 9 454 Lbs Acre at 15.5 Moisture in 1975 Trial. Plant for high-yiel- d capacity! The early maturing hot new Single Cross that like a full season yields variety, but one of the first to harvest. Uniform in plant and ear height firm cob ' long ears of quality grain. A reliable performer. Plant Medium-lat- e dry-dow- n. profit-makin- 41 (f iro mi, m Funk's is ftndfUNKName Number Men Varieties SlfDS INffRNA TiOnai inc International HeedQuarle'4 Bloomington. IUmcit6l70l 11 o limitation ot warranty and remedy the to eacn bat o' attached unks C Hybr.fl sold a part of the lenes pt safe thereof J !( See Your Dealer G ERMAlNiS.ine. Washington Utah in- formation on varieties and on weed and insect control and other recommendations for Idaho Fresno, California |