16!) 



feed, but the seed is heavier aud better for every pnriiose. for export, for 

 feed and also for seed, because it is of higher germiuating power, and further, 

 because the weevil at that time is much less advanced in growth, and conse- 

 (juently has destroyed a much smaller proportion of the bulU of the seed. 

 Xhe average dates for pea harvesting are from July 20th to August 20th. 



E.xperiment has shown that the weevil at all stages may be killed inside 

 the pea liy fumigating the seed with bisulphide of carbon, consequently, if 

 growers wil harvest and thresh earlier than usual for a few years, and either 

 themselves treat their seed immediately or sell to the grain buyers, who for 

 their own sakes will do so. much good must surely result. When for any 

 reason pease cannot be treated at once or disposed of, they should be bagged 

 up and the sacks tied immediately, so as to prevent the escape of any weevils 

 which might emerge in the autumn. When the grain is required for feeding, 

 the pease should be ground as soon as they are dry eufiugh, aud to !>revent 

 the meal from becoming nnisty the new pease should be mixed with some 

 old pease when grinding. 



Difficulties to be met. — Sometimes pease ripen so unevenly tliut by rea]i- 

 ing early it is feared that the .sample will be very uneven when threshed: 

 but. should this be the case, it simply means that the small and shrivelled 

 pease are blown out of the seed pease when they are cleaned and are not lost. 

 but can be used for feed. The greatest difficulty of all is with regard to the 

 pease which are shelled out in the Held at the time of harvesting. This, how- 

 ever, will be to a great measure obviated by reaping early, as the seed will 

 not shell out nearly so much as when left till the regular time. The cleaning 

 up of pea fields, moreover, by turning in hogs is a generally recognized 

 practice, and the work is done thoroughly. Where hogs are not available, 

 poultry will do the same work, and, where neither of these can be used, the 

 land should be ploughed so deeply that the weevils cannot work their way 

 out when they leave the pease. I am aware that it is not the custom to 

 plough up pea fields for fall wheat, but simply to cultivate or disc them, 

 because the land is left in such excellent condition ; but it must be remem- 

 bered that the loss from the pea weevil is now excessive, aud. if this small 

 change in method can be shown to be of great advantage, it surely is worth 

 a trial. 



Another difficulty suggesteil is that it would be hard to get all pease 

 threshed before the autumn emerging weevils escaped, on account of the 

 small number of threshing machines which would be available. In reply to 

 this, experience has shown that demand will always produce supjily; and I 

 feel sure that the implement makers will not lose such an opportuuity of 

 pushing their business. The nnich higher price obtainable for the early 

 threshed pease, to say nothing of the enormous value of future crops due to 

 controlling the weevil, will very soon repay to the farmer the initial expense. 

 Where, however, there is no possibility of getting a threshing machine, I 

 would draw the attention of growers to the old-fashionerl method of treading 

 out the pease with horses. That this is advantageous is indicated by the 

 fact that some of the seed merchants pay a higher price for pease threshed 

 with horses. — Ftetclicr. 



