The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-05-18
Suggestions For Destroying
the Green Pea Louise.
BY w. G. JOHNSON, STATE En-
TOMOLOGIST.


cred in some of the pea fields in
Frederick county the following
circular just issued by the Mary
land State Horticultural Depart
ment comes in the nick of time
to assist the grower to get rid of
this destructive insect:
This insect has been known to
science less than one year, in fact,
received scientific name in Feb
ruary, 1900. 1t is one of the
most important economic pests
and is now commanding the close
attention of growers of peas for
commercial purposes all over the
country. The writer has been in
consultation with the most ex-
tenSive growers in the United
States during the past few days.
To meet the current demand for
the latest information on this
topic this circular is issued.
The pea louise has already ap-
peared in the open fields in Ger
tain localities, and it is of the ut
most Importance that growers
should be Oh the watch for it in
their fields. Lay a piece ofpaper
on the ground and shake the
plant over it. There are two
fOrms-the wingless female and
the winged form. No male has
as yet been found. The female
produces living young, which
reach maturity in from ten to fiji
teen days, possibly less time in
hot weather.
If allowed to breed unchecked.
generation after generation fol-
lows, and the crop will be de.
strOyed. 1t is a we'll known fact
to growers that peas looked well
up to within ten days of maturity
last season and then went to
pieces an if by magic. At present
you may see only louise here and
there, but you must consider
what that will mean three or four
weeks later. The death of one of
these mother insects is the equiv
alent of l, ~, $50 four weeks later.
1t is this enormous rate of repro
ductiOn that is so fatal about the
time the pea crop is mature.
Bear i'll mind then at all times
and impress upon your employees
the necessity of destroying these
stem mothers.
The conditions for the safety of
the pea crop have very much i'm
proved during the last week, the
recent rain has stimulated the
plant and growth is vigorous.
Early peas are just coming into
bloom. The lice are more album
dant than last week. They have
bred rapidly, and spread over
wide area. Crimson clover is
just coming into bloom and we
infer that the lice in most cases
when the clover is growing, have
left it and concentrated on the
pea fields. We found lice most
abundant in fields adjoining
clover.
Nature is doing her part, and
now if the farmer will supplement
this good service by doing his
part, we can secure crop of peas
i'll spite of the lice, but the grower
must not sit down, told his arms
believing that nature is going to
save him from the deadly hordes
OF lice. We have just two weeks
left IN this State to save the pea
crop. From present conditions
the packers 'CiH begin about June
/, and If the grOWerS bestir them.
setoes the lice can be kept from do.
ing serious damage to the crop.
Where the peas are planted in
rows we can combat the pest to
the best advantage. The cult
yator and brush system is work
ing like a charm, and there will
be no excuse for the loss of field
of peas where this method is
adopted and faithfully carried
out. We were in the fields of A.
q. Salisbury and Brother of
Ridgely, Nd, recently, where
this method was given practical
test. The peas were in rows 80
inches apart, and about 10 to II
inches in heighth. There had
been clover on practically three
sides of tine field which had Just
been plowed down for corn. The
lice were abundant and the stem
mother with clusters of young
about them were found in nearly
every terminal bud, a small boy
with a white pine brush, cut in
, an adjoining wood, went ahead of
the cultivator, lightly brushing
the row backwards and forwards
thousands of insects were Knocked
upon the ground aud covered up,
never to re-appear. The other
gentlemen, +. p. Roe, j. II. CHS.
holm and Mr.. Salisbury, who
were with me, all aged that this
demonstration was practical so.
luton of the difficulty where peas
were in rows. We watched the
~