The alfalfa weevil is threatening Prince Edward county's number

The alfalfa weevil is threatening Prince Edward county's number one hav cop "Even w‘h the insect damage and other threats to alfalfa. >t !s still pii>- best hay cop.” savs F F S*rin l;n. Prince Edward county agent Alfalfa is about a $150,000 crop in this county alone There are ap proximately 1.500 acres of alfalfa in the county. It yields a low average of two tens per acre and is worth $50 per ton. Striplin and the Virginia Agricul ture Experiment Station Personnel have just, completed a test growth rn Holly brook farm of John A * Gates, local dairyman. T he test shows without a doubt the value of treating against the weeivil and other insertions. Similar tests are being conducted m the state and the final results will be announcld later. Test plots were marked off in a field of alfaFa The 20 plots were approximately 30 feet square. The plots were treated with aldrin. Hep tachlor. and dieldrin respectively. Untreated plots were also included in the test. The differene in the treated plots and untreated plots was easily recognizable even to the untrained eye One of the important factors to come out of the test was to deter mine what chemicals were the most effective. > Striplin said that the heptachlor was the most effective. The chemi cals were put down on March 20 and the heptachlor was the only one that controlled the weevil satisfac torily. The heptachlor was spread dry at a rate of one and a quarter pounds per acre. All of the chemicals were put down in a dry granulated form by using a simple hand distributor. "Aldrin did a fair job.'' said Strip lin, as he picked up a handful of alfalfa and showed several of the green larvae, worm-like weevils. “The aldrin applied at one pound per acre didn't last long." Striplin continued, "but when applied tw^o pounds to the acre, it was pretty effective " Dieldrin was applied at n- pound per acre and was about the same as the aldrin at oiie pound per acre. The untreated plots were com pletely ruined and useless as far as hay is concerned These plots