>To a farmer a "pest' is a threat to one's livelihood.
>Here in the US farmers use automatic weapons to kill pests that threaten cops.
>Can they do it without automatic weapons?
>Of course they can.
>George Washington raised tobacco armed with a musket.

I would expect that any pest attacking tobacco would just die of it. Judging by the anti-smoking propaganda over the last 25 years, it must be a very dangerous plant.