46 BEAN CULTURE 



variations among his plants then he gets a variation 

 in some other way. He will usually cross those 

 varieties which are most like the proposed kind. 

 Year by year he selects just those plants which 

 he judges from experience will most surely trans- 

 mit their features to the offspring. In this way the 

 ideal is gradually approached. 



The Rhode Island experiment station* has worked 

 for several years to secure a variety resistant to 

 frost. Three varieties of bush beans grown in the 

 hotbed were exposed to frost and the seed from the 

 most resistant plants saved. This seed was planted 

 and the most vigorous plants which were most re- 

 sistant to frost were saved and the seeds 

 therefrom again planted. Some of the resistant 

 seed sown in the open field, in comparison with 

 the ordinary seed, showed more vigor in resisting 

 cold and untoward conditions and made a stronger 

 growth. The work will be continued. One inter- 

 ested in breeding beans cannot do better than read 

 the interesting address of Prof. R. A. Emerson of 

 Nebraska before the first annual meeting of the 

 American breeders' association. Prof. Emerson 

 begins by calling attention to the fact that a gen- 

 eral purpose bean is an impossibility. The plant 

 illustrates the value of special types for special pur- 

 poses. Adaptation to local conditions is one of the 

 first things to receive attention. A particular race 

 of beans may be very good in one locality and 

 worthless in another. 



Bush beans for whatever purpose grown, should be 

 erect and strong enough to hold their pods well above 

 the ground to avoid rusting and discoloration if not 



Rpt for 1900, pp 251-252. 



