280 INSECT PESTS OF FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



the growing of peas has been abandoned in considerable areas of 

 that province. In large peas about one-sixth of the food content 

 is destroyed, while in smaller varieties fully one-half. Not only 

 this, but in eating canned green peas one frequently devours sev- 

 eral small larvse in each mouthful, unawares, as but a small dark 

 speck indicates their presence in the green pea. In the dry seed 

 the holes made by the larvse can be seen. But 12 to 18 per cent of 

 infested seed will produce plants, which are later in developing and 

 do not yield as well as those unaffected. 



Enemies. The Baltimore oriole has been recorded as feeding 

 on the grubs by splitting open the pods, and the crow blackbird is 

 said to devour many of the beetles in the spring. Practically no 

 parasites or predaceous insects are known to prey upon it, so that 

 it has every opportunity for doing serious injury. 



Control. Holding over Seed. One of the best means of 

 destroying the weevils where but a few peas are concerned and cir- 

 cumstances will permit, is simply to hold them over for a season, 

 stored in a tight sack or box, before planting. As the weevils will 

 not breed in the dried peas they die in the sack and are thus caught. 

 Peas should always be bagged up and sacks tied immediately after 

 threshing. 



Late Planting. Comparative immunity from injury is claimed 

 by some growers for late-planted peas. Dr. F. H. Chittenden is 

 inclined to the belief that in some localities, such as Washington, 

 D. C., where two crops can be grown in a year, that late planting 

 is all that is necessary to secure sound seed stock. 



Treating with Kerosene. The Canadians have found that 

 kerosene may be used to destroy the weevils. Dr. Fletcher states : 

 " A remedy which has been used by many farmers with satisfaction 

 is to drench the seed with coal oil, using about a half a gallon to the 

 barrel, or five bushels of peas. While applying the coal oil (kero- 

 sene) the seed should be placed on the floor, where it can be shoveled 

 over constantly to insure the treatment of all the grain." 



Scalding Seed. " When peas are found to contain live weevils 

 at the time of sowing, these may be destroyed by simply pouring 

 them into a pot of scalding water. The water should be drained 

 off at once or the seed cooled by turning in cold water." Fletcher. 



Heat. Dr. Chittenden states that it has been found that a tem- 

 perature of 145 F. will kill the weevils in the seed without injury 

 to the germinating property of the seed. 



