THE ALFALFA WEEVIL. 9 



native and foreign, the Federal authorities can treat the infested 

 section as a whole, regardless of State boundaries, and thus work 

 without handicap. 



Quarantine between the different States is. in the case of the 

 alfalfa weevil, wholly useless on account of the agency of the railroads 

 and winds as factors in the dispersion of the beetles. There is dan- 

 ger of dispersion in shipments in interstate commerce, but in the case 

 of what is perhaps the most dangerous medium, that of baled hay, 

 owing to the ravages of the pest, the movements of shipments are for- 

 tunately toward instead of from the infested area. As to other arti- 

 cles entering into interstate commerce, it would be impossible to 

 guard against the beetles concealing themselves in almost any sort 

 of a box. bale, or package of whatever shape, size, or nature. 



The most inexpensive and practical means of controlling introduc- 

 tions of the pest by railroads appears to be in the close surveillance 

 of the railroad right of vray and the stamping out of incipient out- 

 breaks as soon as discovered. This, too, seems a duty likely, at least 

 for the present, to devolve upon the Federal authorities, as nearly all 

 of the States adjoining Utah are without the means of carrying such 

 a plan into operation, and a year at least would be required to put 

 into operation the legislative measures necessary' to meet tlie situa- 

 tion. Therefore, the greatest assistance can be afforded l)y the grow- 

 ers of alfalfa personally, especialh' along railways and near towns 

 and villages, by keeping close watch of their fields and promptly 

 notifying the Government or State authorities of the occurrence of 

 any insect resembling this alfalfa weevil, as described and illustrated 

 herein. It is chiefly for the purpose of reaching such persons and of 

 promptly obtaining information as to the first appearance of the pest 

 in an}' locality that this circular is published. 



Approved : 



Ja:mes AVilsox. 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



Washington, D. C., February 25., 1911. 



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