LEADING VEGETABLE CROPS I97 



Soil requirements are the same for the crop grown 

 for this purpose as when grown for ordinary mar- 

 keting purposes. On account of the fact that no 

 cultivation is given after planting, especial care 

 should be taken in the thorough preparation of the 

 soil beforehand. The harvesting of peas for mar- 

 ket purposes must always be done by hand because 

 of the necessity of selecting the pods most suitable 

 from time to time. Harvesting, therefore, becomes 

 the most expensive operation in growing the pea for 

 market. 



Peas are shipped with considerable difficulty. 

 They heat quickly even when placed in such small 

 quantities as a bushel. The deep, narrow baskets 

 or hampers commonly known as the Delaware peach 

 basket are perhaps the best packages for this pur- 

 pose on account of the ventilation afforded. Peas 

 lose their sweetness and quality very rapidly after 

 being gathered. This accounts for the flat and 

 insipid taste of this vegetable, as it is usually shipped 

 from the South, and as it is found in the ordinary 

 canning pack. The best quality can be expected 

 only when secured directly from the grower and 

 served within a few hours after gathering. Plung- 

 ing the pods in cold water immediately before ship- 

 ping prevents wilting and helps to retain the orig- 

 inal sweetness and flavor of the pea to a considerable 

 extent. The danger of heating, except in well-ven- 

 tilated packages, is increased somewhat by such a 

 practice. 



Two insects are sometimes found seriously at- 

 tacking this crop. The pea aphis is probably the 

 most widespread and most destructive. It attacks 

 the tender terminal growths of the vines, soon de- 

 stroying their vitality. This insect usually begins 



