Show YOUR ALFALFA SEED PROSPECTS C 11 II wilkinson your editor caught me on a laid field service trip to the east side the first drat of tills this week and asked me to write about alfalfa seed prospects as I 1 saw them and what should be done to make good seed crops on your east mellard county farms I 1 made careful examinations of the alfalfa and tile the bugs buga in about a dozen lelda fields that day all along the east cast side what I 1 saw your fields that were irrigated reasonably early and not after are ready to cut now except tor for a few fields where the weevil was very severe and a few others where the spring snow was extra heavy the hay crop la Is in a condition to make high grade hay now the alfalfa plants are ready to send up the new growth to make the seed crop it looks as it if this now new growth will be sturdy slow alow growing tough and woody to make a good seed crop the bugs are at stages whore where they can be killed oft off alfalfa that was irrigated later is 9 rather tender yet the new growth front from it Is likely too tender too these late irrigated fields are not generally ready to cut the seed aced crops on oil them will probably mature more rapidly it they stand a few days longer before the first crop Is cut felds I tue nie lousy with bugs bug every field I 1 saw has more or less weevil both larvae or worms and adults which are no doubt still laying eggs every field has a lot ot at aphis every field has haa enough ly gus or tarnish plant bugs to spoil the seed crop it something la Is not done to control them most fields have plenty of grasshoppers most of 0 these insects are at stages where they can be killed off by just a little extra pains and work you will kill ott off some of the weevil larvae aphis and tarnish bugs when you cut and rake your hay but a great many of them will take shelter under the stubble and in cracks in the ground you will haul off most of 0 the unhatched eggs in the hay kill IMI these bugs cut your fields fence rows and ditch banks clean dont leave any place tor for them to find food and shelter then cultivate your field to a bare dry shallow dust dual mulch the tha hot sun suit will kill weevil larvae all ah his and tarnish bugs it you just jus t fix it so that these bugs have to stay out on top of 0 the bare ground where the rays of the sun suit can strike them directly what you want is to drag oft off all the green growth that might give these bugs food and shelter and dig up tip enough dry dirt to till fill the cracks in the soil so that the bugs will have to stay on oil top ot at the ground you need not dig more than halt half an inch deep but you do want to cover all tile the ground A second dragging two or three days after the first one is likely to be just what it takes to finish the job this is the extra work and pains be sure jt it Is good keep the ground dry and make your alfalfa grow slowly grasshoppers can then be poisoned on the bare ground you will bo be able to see just where your hoppers are and teed food them where they are most likely to eat you poison because there Is nothing else tor for them to eat your prospects ate are fine your alfalfa seed prospects are splendid your hay crop Is in the right condition to cut your alfalfa plants are in good shape to start the seed crop growth and bring it along the way it should come your soil contains sufficient moisture to bring this new growth along and mature a good crop ot at seed in good season you know about your insect enemies and you have simple home remedies which will kill them oft off and let your crops grow these very remedies are good tor for the alafita itself and help to keep in the ground where the alfalfa can use it to make your crop finally you are growing a crop which is 9 not deuced and on which the government does not have to place restrictions it Is just the opposite farmers who plant plan the seed you grow will moat likely t receive benefit payments tor for planting it tor for soil building |