February, '17] REEVES: ALFALFA WEEVIL 127 



and is in nearly every respect inferior to spring spraying, but in the 

 absence of other treatment it destroys the adults and larvse which 

 gather upon the buds of the stubble and prevent the sprouting of the 

 second growth. 



The arsenical poisons commonly used in orchard work have been 

 tried in various strengths and all are about equally useful. The method 

 of application is largely a matter of convenience and economy, but 

 there are some exceptions; for example, it seems to be necessary to use 

 Bordeaux nozzles and consequently a greater quantity of liquid for 

 the stubble spray in order to penetrate to the crevices around the 

 crowns where the insects are gathered at that time. The best time 

 for the application is determined by the weather and the convenience 

 of the farmer rather than by the calendar. Results are best when 

 the spraying is followed by warm, bright, quiet weather, such as 

 produces a maximum of feeding. 



The expense of the process contains a highly variable factor in the 

 cost of labor, which depends upon the skill with which the operation 

 is managed and the distance from which water must be hauled. It has 

 been kept as low as 70 cents per acre, including all labor, in situations 

 which were not especially favorable. 



A possible objection that always arises when the spraying of a new 

 crop is discussed, is the danger of poisoning the product. This has 

 been disposed of in the present case by spraying hay which was nearly 

 ready to cut, analyzing samples from the cocks, and feeding the hay to 

 live stock. Without resorting to jBgures, the outcome may be pre- 

 sented by saying that the consulting chemist found less arsenic than is 

 present in many samples of commercial baking powders. The con- 

 sulting veterinarian upbraided us for running what he called a "fool 

 experiment" in which there could not possibly be any appreciable 

 physiological result while there might be an accidental casualty which 

 would furnish an argument against spraying, and finally, the cows 

 employed in the test, after a month of feeding exclusively upon pois- 

 oned hay, were so lively that it was impossible to get within kodak 

 range for a satisfactory photograph outside the corral. 



Spraying is probably a makeshift solution of this problem, and 

 with more complete knowledge we may be able to devise a simpler 

 process for handling the pest. At present it serves a purpose. 



Pasturing 



Pasturing is free from the objection just mentioned against spraying, 

 and it has an insecticidal value. Its limitation is in the extent of the 

 area that can be pastured economically. Ordinary pasturing greatly 

 reduces the number of eggs which succeed in hatching from the green 



