290 Press Bulletin. 



other animals running through the field, or by the hoe or cultivator. 

 The spores will germinate only in moisture, so that in dry weather 

 infections would not be abundant even if the spores were distributed. 

 It ought to be clear, then, that wet weather is responsible for the 

 disease only in that it affords the conditions most favorable for its 

 spread and development. 



REMEDIES. 



The treatment for anthracnose must be preventative rather than 

 curative. Below are given what are now considered the best means 

 of controlling this trouble. 



1. Plant clean seed. If possible obtain seed from fields known to 

 be free from the anthracnose. If seed from diseased fields must be 

 planted it should be carefully hand-sorted and all seeds not perfect 

 and bright should be rejected. 



While seed treatment has not generally been regarded as effective 

 some experiments with formalin at this Station last year gave profit- 

 able results. The seed which was badly diseased was soaked for 

 45 minutes in formalin of the strength of 1 to 200. 



2. Go over the field just after the beans are up and carefully 

 remove and bum all diseased seedlings. If left on the ground 

 they will simply serve as centers of infection for the growing plants. 



3. Spra}' thoroughly with Bordeaux mixture. The normal strength 

 should be used: 6 lbs. vitriol, 4 lbs. lime, 50-60 gal. water. The 

 addition of resin soap will add to the effectiveness of the mixture by 

 making it spread more evenly and it will be less easily w^ashed off by 

 rains. [Resin soap: 2 lbs. resin, 1 lb. crystallized sal soda, 2 quarts 

 water. Boil until a clear brown solution is obtained.] Add this to 

 1 bbl. of the Bordeaux. Apply thoroughly with a nozzle giving a 

 fine spray. The first application should be made just about the 

 time the third leaf is expanding, or earlier if the disease appears to 

 any considerable extent. Repeat the application three or four times 

 at intervals of ten to fourteen days, or whenever the rains wash the 

 Bordeaux off. Three applications will probably be enough for field 

 beans. Weather conditions must largely determine the time and 

 number of the applications. The writer has successfully treated 

 string beans when they were nearly in blossom and where two-thirds 

 of the plants were badly diseased. The plants most affected were 

 removed, and the remainder sprayed twice with Bordeaux mixture. 



Experiments in spraying for this disease are now under way at 

 the Experiment Station here, and a bulletin on the disease is planned 

 for next year. 



