CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
413 
drive strong end stakes on both sides of the rows, and 
plastering lath at intervals of 8 or 10 feet. The lath are 
driven opposite each other, brought together at the top 
and tied. Strands of common wrapping cotton are then 
stretched on both sides, from stake to stake as close to- 
gether as may be necessary to give the proper support. 
562. Harvesting and marketing. — Care must be taken 
to harvest the crop before the peas have hardened. When 
sold to canneries, peas are shelled by machinery, and the 
shelled peas passed through screens of various-sized 
meshes, the smallest peas bringing the highest prices. 
Profits are sacrificed if the crop is cut too soon. Mar- 
ket peas are generally sold in the pod. 
The best method of packing for shipping is to place a 
block of ice in the center of the package and fill in around 
it with peas. Plunging the peas in cold water before 
placing them on local markets will help them to retain 
their plumpness and quality. With the early varieties, 
two or three pickings will remove practically the entire 
crop ; the vines should then be plowed down and some 
other crop started. Gross receipts vary from $40 to $100 
an acre, and sometimes even more. The cost of picking 
is the heaviest expense. 
563. Enemies.— The pea aphis (Nectarophora destruc- 
tor) is one of the most serious pests. It attacks the 
terminals of the young vines and soon destroys their 
vitality. Often large areas become infested and entire 
crops destroyed when conditions are favorable for breed- 
ing. Early planting or very late planting for canneries 
may be the means of escaping serious attacks. Nicotine 
sulphate is the standard treatment, which should be ap- 
plied on both sides of the leaves as soon as the insects 
appear. Tobacco dust sprinkled on the young plants as 
soon as they are up is also valuable. 
The Pea Weevil (Bruchus pisorum) produces heavy 
losses sometimes. To avoid trouble from this pest, seed 
