Show X the ir preheat resent seed situation in utah by P V kelly markets on practically all field seeds have shown continued strength throughout the fall harvesting period growers and dialers dealers in the western states are particularly interested in the production of alP alfalfa alfa red clover and alsike alseike seed and swee sweet t clover earlier estimates of ir allea heavy vv loss of crops from drouth drout li with much lower yields per acre than in at any recent year except 1934 have been confirmed by the survey of fiat harvested vested crops just completed and released by the crop reporting board of the united states department of agriculture that report indicates the total red and alseike alsike clover seed crop this year as bein being lbs ibs which is a little higher than last years year production but very much less les than the five year average production of lbs ibs darta drouth t conditions and grasshopper damage in most states reflected low yields per acre as compared with wilh both last acar and the ten car average farmers in utah and idaho have demonstrated to their own satisfaction that red clover seed yields can be materially increased by the proper application of pho phosphate to the acreage they anticipate saving for seed product i tion every red clover grower grover should consult his county agent or his state experiment station and make definite plans to apply phosphate to his clover acreage known factors indicate that the demand for red clover seed for the next few years is likely to be very good which should be reflected in prices offered for seed The drouth Arouth which caused a material reduction in acreage harvested for seed in some sections made for i increased eased production in sui ncr jm m ni J sui jm m ni J some states east of the missouri river which usually produce almost no alfalfa seed but in which the har harvesting garvestin vestin of alfalfa seed became quite general this year even so the total alfalfa seed production in this country for 1936 is estimated by the crop reporting board as only ai as compared toa production the year before of because of the heavy planting of alfalfa last summer and early fall there was practically no carryover of alfalfa seed into the new newl cro crop and the early harvested harve seed was in much demand that I 1 together with this years decreased production would indicate that alfalfa prices are very likely to advance as the season progresses gr esses the production of sweet clover seed is likewise somewhat less this year than last and very much less than the five year average the yield per acre was greatly reduced by drouth and grasshopper damage and prices are so comparatively high that it is thought that most farmers will use red clover or alfalfa in preference fe rence for years farm leaders de apartments part ments of agriculture and state colleges have urged the use of better rotation of crops and other methods of saving the soil and making it better by the increased use of legumes the me need has been further emphasized by the damage done by drouth and in some sections by erosion and insect pests the smithsonian institution ution is authorized for the statement that insects are being discovered at the rate of new varieties each year but that does not mean that all such insects are enemies to man As parasites of serious insect pests some insects haven have proved their weight in gold in some california counties much has been accomplished by breeding such parasites and distributing them to attack pests on the english walnut and citrus trees in hawaii the lantana bug is considered a friend of man as a destroyer of weeds it is hard to estimate the value of some such bug as might detroy destroy the many noxious weeds that are becoming prevalent in the western irrigated sections regardless of pests drouth soil erosion etc the new indications of farm incomes are very favorable according to the crop reporting board showing an increase of approximately 13 over 1935 or a gross income of farmers from 1936 operations of compared with sa in 1935 and in 1931 news reports from many sections indicate that farmers have more money to spend than at any time in the past five years if such be the case and with most supplies of field seeds on the short side it is reasonable to assume that there will be an active demand for most all of the field seeds which would be reflected in higher prices there have been sonic some rather heavy importations of both alfalfa and red clover so EO that in order to be sure of having an ade adequate uati supply of domestic seeds adaptable to local conditions it might be well for farmers to io anticipate their needs and place their orders for field seeds early either for later delivery or to take the seed home and put it in A a good safe place until ready for iise use |