Bean Anthracnose. 301 



to follow beans with beans year after year, as is sometimes deemed 

 advisable by growers of snap beans. 



Fourth, to determine whether the seed within the pod may be infected 

 by the parasite without showing any external evidence on the pod. 



Fifth, to determine whether seed grown on irrigated lands in regions 

 where there is no rain fall, will be found to be constantly free from the 

 disease. 



Sixth, to determine the value of spraying in large field operations 

 and to test out the effectiveness of various types of machines devised 

 for this purpose. 



Seventh, to determine whether closely related species or strains of the 

 anthracnose fungi occurring on other common hosts, such as apple, grape, 

 watermelon, etc., will cause the disease in beans, and vice versa. 



Eighth, to develop strains of resistant or immune varieties by means 

 of selection or hybridization. 



Ninth, to determine the value of various methods of seed treatment. 



It is the purpose of the Plant Pathologist at this station to make the 

 investigation of this disease of beans, one of the chief lines of work for 

 the next three or more years, until the problem is finally and satisfactorily 

 solved. To this end Mr. M. F. Barrus, recently appointed assistant 

 in this Department, has been detailed to devote a large part of his time 

 to the problem and it is expected that the matter will be thoroughly 

 thrashed out before it is dropped. 



The results and recommendations presented in this bulletin are based on 

 experiments and observations covering a relatively short period of time. 

 More extensive experiments covering a period of years will be necessary 

 before definite conclusions can be reached on all the points herein dis- 

 cussed. The writer shall not hesitate to abandon any of the recommen- 

 dations or suggestions presented if they prove incorrect or impractical. 

 This is simply a record of progress, to clear the ground for the next 

 step in the solution of this problem. So important is it to the grower 

 that he should have early advantage of every possible way of combatting 

 these pests so destructive to his crops, that the writer at this time pre- 

 sents what conclusions and suggestions he has even at the risk of having 

 later to modify or withdraw them. Correspondence on this subject is 

 earnestly requested. It is hoped that considerable seed for cooperative 

 experiments with growers may be obtained this season. We shall be 

 glad to outline plans and give what assistance we can to any one who may 

 desire to obtain clean seed for next year's planting. Address all communi- 

 cations to Department of Plant Pathology, New York State College of 

 Agriculture, Ithaca, N. Y. H. H. Whetzel. 



