GAEDEISr FLEA-HOPPER IX ALFALFA. 



petiole and sap is extracted, giving the leaves a bleached appearance 

 and often killing them. In extreme cases the stems of the plants 

 are attacked in like manner. The greatest amount of damage 

 results from the loss of plant sap or juices. The leaves die and in 

 many instances drop from the stems and cause the infested plants 

 to appear as bunches of stubble. (See figs. 2 to 6.) 



The loss to the crop has been estimated by the writer as high as 50 to 

 60 per cent in several severely infested fields where the alfalfa had been 

 cut and the cured hay removed. The damage is. quite noticeable 



Fig. 4.— White clover shuwiiig the ell'eet ufiiijuiy on the leaves by tlio giirden flea-hopper. 



in the field, since the plants have not the green color and freshness 

 characteristic of plants that arc uninjured, * and have become 

 fibrous, contrasting with other plants of luxuriant growth and 

 thrifty condition. The extraction of the plant juices checks the 

 growth of the plant, causing it to slirivel up and in a number of 

 instances to die. After the crop has been cut and the hay re- 

 moved from the field an inspection of the alfalfa field shows that 

 a large number of the leaves have fallen from the plants and 

 been left lying on the grouml, causing a loss of much of the food 



