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Putaruru Press, Volume V, Issue 176, 17 March 1927, Page 3

Many Palmerston North garden enthusiasts have been wondering why their pea crops have failed this year ' states the Wellington Evening Post’s correspondent). . Successive j plantings, only met with the same result—failure. A peculiarity of the trouble was that not a vestige' of seed cOuld be found when the ground was scratched _ away sav 10 days, after planting—it had disappeared completely. Investigations by the Agricultural Department revealed the fact that an insect was destroying the seed—they were eaten by a maggot of a small..fly well known for its attacks upon these . plants. In" order to ensure germination of the peas the ground should first be treated with calcium cyanide at the rate of one ounce to the square yard. It should be worked into the ground about 14 days before the peas are sown. As calcium cyanide is a veryactive poison it , must be handled carefully. i (> , ,