230 THE BEAN CROP. 



it is liable to be attacked by a parasitic fungus, similar 

 in appearance to " mildew/' which shows itself generally 

 after cold and wet weather, especially if accompanied by 

 sudden variations of temperature. This is always to be 

 feared more on cold, undrained soils, than even on the 

 strong tenacious clays if they be drained. If the plant is 

 not very badly attacked, which is soon seen by the state 

 of the leaves and stem, the better plan is to cut the crop 

 at once, and give it to the cattle as green fodder, and then 

 to plough up the land as speedily as possible for another 

 crop ; or it may be advisable, if the season is somewhat 

 advanced, or if the disease is very bad, so as to render it 

 unfit for use, to run the roller (ribbed, if you have one) 

 over the crop, and then plough it all in as a green manure, 

 which of course would greatly benefit the succeeding crop. 

 In 1851, a peculiar disease, of a pustular character, was 

 observed affecting the pods of the bean. At first it ap- 

 peared to confine itself to the surface of the pods, where 

 it assumed the form of a rough black scab. In some 

 cases, however, it penetrated through the pods, and then 

 came in contact with the seeds inclosed in them, which 

 were speedily inoculated with the disease, became spotted 

 and indented, and had their general growth arrested, 

 while the cotyledons themselves continued to be developed, 



one of them being variously lobed and overlapping the 

 other ; or, if a perforation had taken place in the integu- 

 ment (skin), one of the lobes of the margin projected 



