TIM I. AND MANNER OF HARVESTING. 



texture, plea-ing flavor-, and smaller peas. These are qualities es- 

 pecially .-ought 1)\ tin- trade. To simulate a greater sugar content, 

 i! i- added to the liquor, but the other requirements can only be 

 obtained by proper growth. The possibility of developing a plant 

 with greater resistance to climatic changes, especially heat, and of 

 lengthen iu: tin- -ea-on of development :uv also worthy of special 



Ly- 

 nn AND MANNER OF HARVESTING. 



In Indiana. Illhioi>. Ohio, and State- of similar climatic condi- 

 tion- the period of harve-ting f or the factory is less than twenty 

 day-, .mil -eed will not inatmv to advantage on account of weevils. 

 In Michigan and Wi-eon.-in the harvest period is from six to eight 

 week-, and the -red readily mature-. Ninety per cent of all the pea 

 for planting i~ produced in northern Michigan. The irrigation 

 ems in Colorado and Ctah have opened up possibilities in pea 

 growing, the extent of \\hich i- not known at this time. 



for Inirri-xtinti /<*/* fur n snicx nf 



A longer hanv-tinir period in the Northern States is possible be- 

 successive plant ing- ean \H- made of the same varieties as well 

 a- of t-arly and late vai'ietie-. In the more southern areas the crops 

 are too liable to mature at one tiim late-sown peas as early as the 

 firM -own thei-rl\ o\-ren>wding the factory. 



Pea- were formerly gathered by hand. Five pods usually form 

 upon each vine, and the lowe-t is only about 10 inches above the 

 ground. Tin- part of the work was. therefore, very slow and labo- 

 riou>. and required an amount of help available to but few factories. 

 At pre-cnt there i- only one large factory known to the writer em- 

 ploying hand labor in the picking of the peas. It requires about 

 tun thousand pickers to keep a large factory in operation, and adds 

 i of about !.." to "2 cent- to each can. 



The method in general use is to cut the vines with a mowing ma- 

 chine, or. if any are exceptionally erect, to use the self-rake reaper. 

 If the mowing machine be used, then it must be followed immediately 

 by men with fork- to bunch the peas in order to prevent trampling 

 by the hor-e-. and to put them in condition for easy loading. Within 

 77893 Bull. 12509 2 



