DISEASES AFFECTING BEANS. 231 



through the aperture. Sometimes the substance of the 

 cotyledon is unaffected, but occasionally a pustule simi- 

 lar to those on the pods is observable beneath the dis- 

 coloured spots. 



A full description of this disease, and of the different 

 forms it assumes, is given in the Gardeners' Chronicle for 

 1851, from which it Would appear that the disease is by no 

 means uncommon, but is rarely noticed unless it assumes 

 an aggravated form, so as to affect the seed in the man- 

 ner shown in the diagram. In this case, many of the 

 seeds, which are not deformed by the irregular indented 

 spots, are covered with well-defined brown spots, like 

 those seen in the first instance on the diseased pods, or so 

 common upon the leaves of many plants, insomuch that 

 the sample when matured, can only be sold at a very in- 

 ferior price. The disease appears to be caused principally 

 by extreme alternations of dry and wet weather, acting 

 upon the organism of the plant growing in a richly man- 

 ured soil. 



In a recent number of the Agricultural Gazette,^ an 

 account is given by the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, of another 

 form of fungoid disease, lately noticed attacking the 

 bean crop, which we will give in his own words : 

 " We have lately made some remarks upon the disease 

 which has been so prevalent among winter beans. We 

 have since had an opportunity of examining it more 

 minutely, and extending our observations to the same 

 disease as occurring on spring -sown beans, in which it 

 assumes, in general, a milder form, though occasionally 

 taking such firm possession of the plant as to induce 

 rapid decay, especially where the crop is thick, and con- 

 sequently the haulm is not easily dried after heavy rains 

 or dews. In either case it commences with a red, tolerably 

 defined spot, which is pale in the centre. These spots 



1 Agri. Gazette, 1859, p. 677. 



