The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1912-04-25
COWPEAS.
Bulletin Mo. State Boar OF Agriculture.
Sources of Seed

AhV NAM oOuICC VI oCCu AO1 NAo'
souri, is the lowlands of the south
eastern part of the State, particularly
the counties of Scott, Mississippi, New
Madrid and Stoddard. The varieties
produced most commonly for seed in
that section are, first, the New Era;
second, the Whippoorwill, and third,
the Red Ripper. The New Era, how
ever, makes up the bulk of the seed
produced in that section. Most of
these peas are sold to commission
men in St. Louis, Kansas City, and
some of the other larger cities of the
State, from whence they are distribu-
ted to local dealers or sold directly to
farmers. The Experiment Station has
found it very difficult to keep in
touch with farmers who produce any
quantity of seed and who will sell
them in retail way. Most of the
men prefer to sell the bulk of their
crop to single man or firm and thus
avoid the trouble of shipping small
amounts. This, of course, necessi-
tates a double commission on seed
shipped to sections where cowpeas
are not threshed and is partly respon-
sible for the high prices which pre-
vail. As rule, however, the CON-
mission firms reclean this seed and
put it out in much better condition
than it comes from the machine, so a
part of the difference in price between
that secured by the grower and that
at which the seed retails is due to this
fact. The supply and demand, Of
course, are the ultimate factors which
control the price.
As rule, the price of cowpea seed
advances steadily with the season
from February to June. This is I'M
doubtedly due to the increased de-
mand as the season advances. As a
rule it pays to buy peas early when
the price is lowest. II sometimes
happens, however, where a man
wishes to sow peas very late, such as
following a wheat or oat crop, that he
can do better by waiting until he is
almost ready to sow, especially if he
orders direct from the seed companies.
This is due to the fact that cowpeas
can not we'll be kept over summer on
account of the weevil, and the dealers
endeavor to clean up at the end of the
season, thus frequently materially
lowering the price. One runs some
chance, however, of not getting seed
of good quality under such conditions.
The Carbon Bi-sulphide Method of
Controlling Weevil in Peas
Where one has cowpea seed that it
is desired to keep over until the next
season, this can be done by putting it
in cold storage or by fumigating it
occasionally with carbon bi-sulphide.
The treatment is as follows:
Carbon bi-sulphide is heavy liquid
which may be secured of most drug
stores. 1t is usually put up in tight
tin cans or in larger quantities in iron
drums. 1t has the property of evap-
Grating rapidly and giving off heavy
gas. The principle on which this
operates in controlling the
weevil is that the heavy gas will set
tie down into the grain, crowding out
the air and smothering any insects
present. 1t is, therefore, necessary
TO put the grain which is to be fumi-
gated in tight bin, box or barrel.
If the bin is not tight the gas will pass
through and not accomplish its pur-
pose.
The amount to use is from to l
- pounds for each 1000 cubic feet
If space, which is the capacity of
Din or room 10 feet each way. 1t may
'e used in proportionately smaller
mounts in small bins or other recep-
acles. The liquid is poured into a
fish which is set on top of the grain
nd then the bin is closed; or, if it is
receptacle as small as barrel, it is Z
overed and allowed to stand from
to thirty-six hours.
The precautions to be taken are, {
irst, to avoid inhaling the gas in any
uantity, and secondly, to avoid s
fire near it as it is very ex- c
losive.
This treatment is effective for prac- 1
cally all insects in stored grain and a
he cost is very slight, since the :
lateral retails at from twenty-five
ents to thirty-five cents pound. In
le case of elevators, where large
Quantities of grain are to be fumigated,