Show County Agent Recommends Early Cutting of Hay First Cutting of Alfalfa Weevil Doing Much Damage In Fields County Due to the unfavorable spring of drying high winds and no moisture the alfalfa cutting throughout the county will be about 60 lo 70 per cent of our usual first I said Marden county The crop has to be even though since the green foxtail and the cheat grass are If these two grasses ripen in the considerable trouble is experienced in feeding since the brome like seeds and awns get into the of the mouth of cattle and sheep and cause infected resulting in lumpy jaws and sore farmers have also had to cut hay early in order to control the whitetop and knapweed from going to seed and further scattering these noxious weeds throughout the This method of weed control is only partial It will prevent the distribution of weed seeds in farm produce but the weed on the farm still is scattering by the spreading root system and farm tillage The alfalfa widely distributed pest of the alfalfa appeared in mass in some areas this This leaf eating worm seems to do more damage in hay that is not doing With the spring experienced this year none of the hay got a good In many especially in and around Roosevelt the weevil attacked the hay crop when not over six to eight inches Dusting with calcium arsenate will control this pest but there were no dusting machines available In the Many cuttings there- j I j I fore are very short since it was I a matter of taking that much oi j It Is common to see the second crop of hay stand still in the fields for two weeks or moro i after the first cutting is removed and the field This is of- j ten due to the alfalfa weevil feeding in the green succulent of the The county agent recommends that all infested fields be gone over with a peg tooth harrow with the pegs set at about 15 degrees angie and a 20 foot wire i trailer pulled The harrow I will help to dig the worm from the crown of the plant and the i wire trailer will help to stir up a j In working the fields this I way after the first cutting is re-I moved and the land is dry will I create enough dust to kill this i Early cutting and dusting j afterwards are the most and economical ways Oi handling this With the short cutting in this county and also the rest of the state in general our farmers j should not be in any hurry to sell their It will be worth considerable money this winter and our farmers should get the benefit of the good said |