THE ENEMIES OF ALFALFA 211 



with some fine, light wood or chips and sprinkHng with 

 kerosene, so that the alfalfa plants will be burned close 

 to the ground. This is necessary from the fact that the 

 little coils of dodder close to the crown of the plants will 

 retain their vitality and grow after a very severe burn- 

 ing, providing the alfalfa which is above the ground is 

 not killed also. The most difficult problem to be con- 

 fronted in killing out dodder where it has become estab- 

 lished, arises from the fact that if these little coils which 

 wind themselves closely around the plant are not killed 

 or removed, the dodder will spread from these and make 

 a new growth. Many experiments have been made with 

 chemicals, but none of them have proved wholly success- 

 ful, from the fact that these little rings were not 

 destroyed. All the rest of the plant was killed and the 

 production of flowers and seed prevented; but as these 

 little rings were not killed, the dodder began growing 

 again and continued to grow throughout the season." 



LEAF SPOT 



Leaf spot is a very peculiar disease and, fortunately, 

 not common in this country. It has been known in 

 France since 1832. In 1891 it was destructive in Iowa 

 alfalfa, the loss in the neighborhood of the experiment 

 station being estimated at 50 per cent. In reference to 

 this infliction the Iowa station, among other information, 

 printed the following : 



"Any time after the plant has attained a growth of 

 four to six inches from the seed, but most commonly 

 after the first year's growth, there appears upon the upper 

 side of the leaves small, irregular brownish spots, which 



