Show I 1 EXPERTS DETERMINE WEEVIL DAMAGE IN FALL BY COUNT by W W owens U S A C extension service editors note this la Is the last ot of a series of seven articles prepared by mr air owens on weevil control by counting the number ot of adult alfalfa weevils per square toot foot la in an alfalfa field in the tall fall the extent ot of the damage thoy will do in that hold field tho the following spring can be pre dietes dieted this method has been developed by george 1 I reevs J C hamlin and their association whose headquarters are in tho the federal building at salt lake city these men are en of the united states department part ment of agriculture working on weevil control mr reeves has been at the salt lake office tor for 20 years ho he Is the government authority on weevil control material tor for the preceding six articles on this subject was secured from his office numerous weevil counts in the tall fall and observation ot of fields the next spring have furnished the basis tor for the following table ot of weevil damage prediction weevils per square toot foot no damage vt to 1 weevils per square toot foot possible damage da 1 to 2 A weevils per square toot too t certain damage possible damage means that it may go into the no damage class or be certain damage according to weather conditions which may be unfavorable e or favorable for weevil development weevil counts are made from samples taken from alfalfa fields A sample includes the hay bay stubble trash and surface dirt on a square toot foot twelve to 16 square toot foot sam ples pies are taken tor for each field they are taken into the laboratory and carefully tor for weevils we evils it la Is apparent that this method of 0 pred predicting act weevil damage requires considerable experience which the average farmer at present does not possess weevil counts have been made in areas in salt lake and millard counties and the basin by men meix from mr reeves office the number of weevils found in the 72 fields sampled indicated that there will be damage in several of the fields in the spring of 1933 in summing up this series of sev seven all articles on weevil control the following facts stand out 1 the alfalfa weevil Is here to stay 2 the parasite alone does not control the weevil its usefulness lies in fit making cultural control possible 3 dusting spraying and dragging are emergency control measures for use when weevils stop the growth groth 0 the hay 4 weevil control Is an individual problem 5 weevil damage in a given field can be predicted a year la in advance by counting adult weevils in hay and dirt samples from the field concerned the general outlook tor for an tract can be determined by extended sampling 6 early cutting of first and second crops will prevent weevil damage tor for the following lowing ol year 7 A thin stand of hay is an ideal breeding place of weevils we evils a heavy stand hinders their egg laying activities |