174 O£ioher 1748. 



little known, but a few years ago it multi- 

 plied exceffively. It couples in fummer, 

 about the time when the peafe are in blof^ 

 fom, and then depofites an egg into almoft 

 every one of the little peafe. When the 

 peafe are ripe, their outward appearance 

 does not difcover the worm, which, how- 

 ever, is found within, when it is cut. 

 This worm lies in the pea, if it is not ftir- 

 red during all the winter, and part of the 

 fpring, and in that fpace of time confumes 

 the greateft part of the infide of the pea : 

 In fpring therefore little more than the 

 mere thin outward ikin is left. This worm 

 at laft changes into an infedt, of the coleop- 

 tera clafs, and in that ftate creeps through 

 a hole of its own making in the hufk, 

 and flies oif, in order to look for new fields 

 of peafe, in which it may couple with 

 its cogeneric infedts, and provide food fuf- 

 ficient for its poilerity. 



This noxious infe<ft has fpread from 

 Tenfylvania to the north. For the country 

 of New Tork, where it is common at pre- 

 fent, has not been plagued with it above 

 twelve or fifteen years ago j and before that 

 time the people fowed peafe every year 

 without any inconvenience, and had excel- 

 lent crops. But by degrees thefe little 

 enemies came in fuch numbers, that the 



inhabitants 



