Show WORST WEED ENEMY OF ALFALFA PLANT Care Should Be Taken to Prevent Introduction of Dodder Grazing Close With Sheep Has Been Been Recommended as Effective Control Against Noxious Plant Plant Burn Burn Off Affected Parts Prepared by the United States Department Depart Depart- ment meat of ot Agriculture Dodder is considered by many as one of the worst weed enemies of al al- al falfa nifa The dodder seeds germinate in the ground and the young plants soon attach themselves to the alfalfa seedlings As soon as the threadlike stem of dodder Is Is' attached firmly to the alfalfa plant the stem connecting It with the ground withers away awny Thenceforth the dodder lives entirely on the alfalfa Special care should be exercised to avoid Introducing It In Inthe Inthe inthe the alfalfa seed at planting time Grazing close with sheep has hns been recommended as as an nn effective control against ag dodder In the East l however where dodder Is most abundant sheep are not plentiful and it Is not possible for every alfalfa grower to use use the grazing plan Besides grazing an alfalfa alfalfa al falfa field too closely with sheep often results In permanent Injury to the stand Some authorities recommend the complete removal of the affected alfalfa plants where the dodder appear ap peara pel pear r only In Isolated spots through the field This practice however is only successful In the very early eaily stages of the pest and before It hits has lias gained much foothold A rapid and efficacious method of ot stamping out dodder recommended by specialists of the United States Department Department Department De De- of Agriculture Is to watch flip DIP alfalfa fields for the initial evidences evidences evi evl dences of dodder and a as soon as signs of the pest pet appear to the Infected infected In in- spots with kerosene apply the Hie match and burn off burn off the affected areas arens This practice kills out the dodder and properly applied does not Injure the alfalfa permanently In burning tho the i doddered portions of the field a blowtorch blowtorch blow blow- torch Is useful but where such blow I a devIce device de do vice Is not available some readily Inflammable inflammable In in- flammable material such as ns waste or orold orold orold old raps rags wrapped with wire on the end of a stick and soaked In kerosene wl will 1 serve |