29 



Moreover, it is a matter of common observation throughout the 

 country, that man_y pods shell their peas in the field while the crop is 

 being harvested. If the peas were pulled just before they ripened, 

 not only would there be less shelled peas on the ground, but the straw 

 would be of much better quality. Hogs turned on the pea stubble 

 would eat a few of the scattered peas and the weevils which they 

 contained. If the peas were stirred into the soil by a cultivator, or 

 turned under with a plow, it is quite probable that some of the 

 weevils would be destroyed by this process. 



Weevilly peas which remain in the straw after the crop is 

 threshed, which lodge in the separator t j be scattered on the ground, 

 which lie on the threshing floor for several days after threshing, etc, 

 give the weevils an opportunity to escape. 



In any effort to destroy the pea weevil, attention must be given 

 to garden peas. Most persons do not realize that when a mess of 

 green peas is eaten, a large number of the grubs of the pea weevil 

 are (to put it mildly) prevented from doing further damage. If all 

 the garden peas were eaten in this way and prevented from ripening, 

 there would be no danger to the general pea crop from such 

 a source. An effort should be made, therefore, neither to allow 

 any garden peas to ripen nor any seeds containing live weevils to 

 be planted. 



Carbon Bisulphide. Carbon bisulphide is a colorless or slightly 

 yellowish liquid, one-fourth heavier than water. It is extremely 

 volatile, i. e.. evaporates very rapidly when exposed to the air, and 

 when pure will not injure or stain the finest goods. The com- 

 mercial liquid has an acrid taste, and an odor like that of rotten 

 eggs. The vapor is more than two and a half times as heavy 

 as air. Carbon bisulphide may be purchased in small quantities 

 from any druggist at about 30 cents per pound, or 40 cents per 

 pint. For larger quantities, better rates can be given by the 

 druggist. The gas, or vapor, which comes from carbon bisulphide is not 

 only combustible, but it is very explosive when mixed with air. 

 Great care should, therefore, be taken to treat the peas in the day- 

 time only, for a light or a flame of any kind brought near the liquid 

 may cause a serious explosion ; and smoking near it should be posi- 

 tively prohibited. Moreover, the vapor should I not be inhaled, as 

 it is very injurious, even a small portion causing headache, giddiness, 

 and nausea. The treatment with carbon bisulphide should be made 

 in boxes, barrels, or " bug houses," located some distance from the 

 insured buildings on the farm. 



With the strict observation of the preceding precautions, no one 

 should hesitate to use the carbon bisulphide. As a matter of fact, 

 we have never heard of any bad results following its use in the 

 treatment of peas. This happy condition of things may be explained 

 when we say that all who used the liquid were wise enough to be 



