180 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



2-3 EDWARD VII., A. 1903 



The Pea Moth (Fig. 3) is a small gray moth, the caterpillar of which lives until full 

 grown inside the pod, gnawing into the green peas. It then eats its way out of the pod 

 and passes the winter in the ground inside a silken cocoon from which the moth appears 

 the following summer. For this insect, treating the seed is useless. 



The Destructive Pea Aphis (Fig. 4) is a soft bodied plant-louse or ' green fly,' which 

 clusters in large numbers on the young shoots and stems, sucking the sap and enfeebling 

 the vines so that they die before maturity. 



Difficulties. — It must be acknowledged that, almost without a dissentient voice, my 

 correspondents claim that the only way to bring about the extermination of the Pea 

 Weevil, is to give up the cultivation of peas in Ontario for two or three years, and that 

 this action should be enforced by legislation. Notwithstanding this, after considering 

 the question in all its bearings, I cannot agree that this course would be calculated at 

 this stage of the campaign to produce the surest results. The cessation of pea growing, 

 to be elfective, would have to be absolute, not only in every part of Ontario but also in 

 all the United States where peas are grown for seed ; and this, not merely b}'' large pea- 

 groweis and farmers, but by every private individual who wished to grow peas for his 

 table or for the market. At the present time, while peas are an unremunerative crop 

 in the worst affected districts, this is not the case over large areas in northern Ontario, 

 and, while it might be possible to induce large growers in the south-western counties of 

 the province where pea-growing is now unremunerative, not to sow peas, it would be 

 very difficult to persuade growers to do so north of the line mentioned above as running 

 from Kincardine thi'ough the province to Brockville ; and the difficulties in the way of 

 persuading private gardeners from doing so seem insuperable ; yet, for this measure to 

 be of use so as to starve out the Pea "Weevil, not a single patch of peas should be sown, 

 in w^iich the insect could propagate. Theoretically, this, at first sight, seems to be a 

 perfect remedy, and I doubt not would prove to be so, were it in any way possible to 

 enforce it. The chief difficulties are that every one would have to give up growing peas 

 absolutely, not only in Canada but in the adjoining States. There is no set line which 

 could be accurately defined as the limit of the area where the insect would breed, even 

 if partial legislation were contemplated. Private gardeners are not yet well enough 

 informed nor sufficiently interested for all to make the necessary sacrifice of giving up 

 such a favourite vegetable as green peas, nor are all the gardeners in any district 

 energetic enough or provident enough to pull up and destroy all their pea vines as soon 

 as the crop fit for the table is gathered. That this is the proper course, is undoubted, 

 and the land, where peas have been grown, may in most parts of Ontario be cleared of 

 pea vines by the end of July and planted to late carrots, beets or cabbage. From 

 special observation for several years, I have seen that a far more usual practice in 

 gardens, is to leave the pea vines standing long after the crop is gathered and until 

 many of the pods are perfectly ripe, which, in the Pea Weevil districts, means until the 

 weevils are fully developed. 



Legislation upon all matters affecting a large proportion of the community is only 

 a last resort, and as a remedial measure. Legislation on agricultural matters, moreover, 

 has always been unpopular, and, unless it can be enforced, is worse than useless. Tlie 

 legislation affecting noxious weeds can hardly be considered successful even in many 

 parts of law-abiding Canada. 



That a vigorous campaign against the Pea Weevil is now necessary, is abundantly 

 evident to all who know the value of the pea crop, and wish to preserve the reputation 

 of Canadian peas and the export trade of this valuable commodity ; but it seems to me 

 that what is now most necessary and fitting, as looking to ultimate victory against this 

 foe, is a campagin of education. The ordinary pea-growers, or even the large grain 

 merchants, do not know sufficiently the nature of their enemy, its natural history and 

 distribution. There is even confusion as to which of the several insects whicli attack 

 tlie pea, actually is the Pea Weevil. All this uncertainty should first of all be done 

 away witli through the ready means at our disposal. The federal and provincial gov- 

 ernments have published reports and bulletins, and intend to publish more : the 

 agricultural and public press of the country are always willing and eager to publish 



