The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-12-18
HAND PICKED PEAS
AND FUM|GA10N
AGRICULTURAL STUDENT IN UNI
VERSITY OF IDAHO, GIVES
INTERESTING DATA

The two following ably written ar
ticles by Oswald Thompson, of Mos
COW, an agricultural student in the
University of Idaho, will be of inter-
est and use to those who grow peas
in Idaho. The first article, entitled,
"Hand Picked Peas" follows:
The pea crop grown from hand-pick-
ed seed will sell at prices ranging
from 10 to 15 per cent higher, ac-
cording to Professor H. w. Hubert of
the University of Idaho.
The peas are run from a hopper out
upon a canvas where the weed seeds
and peas of other varities are picked
out. The good seed is run into a
basket on the side. The peas with
the yellow endosperm are very OBJ
jectionable when mixed with those of
the dark endosperm such as the Blue
Bell, Early Alaskan, or the Blue Prus-
sian. The canneries and retailers that
handle a large part of the pea crop
object to the yellow meated peas be-
cause they spoil the appearance OF the
canned products and look bad on the
market.
Pea dealers do a regular business
in the winter and early spring in hand
picking seed. They have reported a
great improvement in the quality of
the crop handled by them. One per-
son, after lie becomes acquainted with
the work, can pick over about two
sacks per day and receives from a
cent to a cent and a half per pound,
making the total cost q little less than
$500 per sack.
Badly mixed seed is discounted nc
to 1c per pound and on a yield of
seven sacks to the acre the dockage
equals $500 to $11.50 per acre. After
substracting the cost of hand picking
a fair profit is left in the hands of
the grower. !
FumigatiOn of Pea Seed.
Control of the pea weevil by fumiga-I
ton with carbon d%isulphide CS2, is the
best method for the average grower to
use according to Professor H. w. HUI
bert of the University of Idaho.
The seed to be fumigated should be
placed in an alright container which
OF course, varies with the amount to
be treated. For small amounts a
tight barrel may be used but for
quantities an alright room is
essential. The carbon disulphide can
purchased at any drug store for
about $3.50 per gallon. From "a lbs.
are used for each 1000 cubic feet of
air space. More is necessary if the
is not completely air tight. The
carbon disulphide is placed in air
light pans or is poured on the seed.
The liquid when exposed to the air
1aporizes forming a gas that is heav-
er than air and settles down in the
'pace between the seed. The peas
De left in fumigation from "a
70 hours to insure that all the insects
ire killed. The best results can be OBJ
aimed II the treatment is carried out
It a temperature of about rs F. AS
,asoline, the vapors of carbon disul-
are inflamable and will explode
f he flames are brought near them, I
ut the chemical is perfectly safe if
lie precautions are exercised. Below
o. F. the weevil is not active and will
lot be exposed to the fumes Of the
hemical. A few days after fumiga-
the seed should be carefully ex-
mined for living weevil and if any
re found the process should be re-
Peas which are infested by the /
veevil will sell at considerable lower !
rices than clean peas. The insects l
ore their way into the young peas a
ew days after Matching and develop
Tithin the seed. The inside of the
is consumed during the develop
lent of the insect and little more than
lie hull remains.
Weeyil peas may weigh as low as 45
Ounds per bushel as compared with :
J pounds for sound peas. The weevil !
peas are less valuable for
ed and also make poor seed. Only
bout % to 80 per cent of them will
srminate; poor stands are often Sc
Ired and a decreased yield is the
result of planting infested
led.