14 BULLETIN 46, HAWAII EXPERIMENT STATION. 
shown mature pods to adhere to the plant for fully 60 days without 
shattering any seed. Continued rain for a considerable period is 
required to cause the seed to mold within the pod. This is explained 
by the fact that the pods are borne at the extremities of the upright 
branches, where they are enabled to dry off rapidly. The pods them- 
selves are practically impervious to water. 
THRASHING. 
Thrashing the seed directly from the stems requires a rather 
strongly constructed machine. For this purpose a double-cylinder 
bean and pea thrasher has been used with much success at Haiku. 
This thrasher has a capacity of ^ to 1 ton of seed per day when all 
conditions are favorable. It is important that the stems and pods 
be well cured and that sufficient power be available before attempting 
to thrash. An even smaller and simpler pea huller is used for thrash- 
ing simply the pods, and the strain on all working parts is very much 
lighter than when the seed is thrashed directly from the stems. The 
pods alone thrash very readily when they are thoroughly dry, and 
about 1.000 pounds can be thrashed within nine hours by a two- 
horsepower engine. Two men, or a man and a boy, are required to 
do the work most efficiently. 
Whether thrashed from the vine or the pod, the seeds should be 
recleaned and graded. This is best accomplished by the use of a good 
fanning mill equipped with suitable sieves and riddles. Unless the 
seed has become discolored or moldy through improper handling, 
no further manipulation will be necessary. However, it may some- 
times be desirable to hand-pick the seed to make it a merchantable 
product. This is an expensive process and adds considerably to 
the cost of the seed. As high as $2 per 100 pounds has been paid 
to have the work done properly. There are on the market foot 
treads and power types of bean picking and sorting tables which 
would greatly facilitate this work. 
Most leguminous seeds, such as cowpeas, soy beans, and the culi- 
nary beans, are subject to weevil infestation to some extent, and the 
pigeon pea is possibly as susceptible as any to these ravages. The 
grower of this crop should provide for it an air-tight storage cham- 
ber which can be periodically fumigated. At the Haiku substation 
a suitable compartment has been built by constructing double walls, 
floor, and roof of tongue-and-groove lumber laid crosswise with a 
layer of tarred felt between. The door is beveled and made to fit 
snugly against a felt face and is fastened with a strong refrigerator 
door clasp. A compartment 6 by 6 by 6 feet is a convenient size 
for ordinary requirements, as it holds about 2 tons of bagged seed. 
The best fumigant to use is carbon bisulphid, the usual dose being 
1 to 2 pounds of carbon bisulphid to every 1,000 cubic feet of space 
