234 THE BEAN" CROP. 



day - light, and speedily demonstrate their powers of 

 mischief by nibbling off the leaves of the very young 

 plants and thus destroying them; or if the plants are 

 more advanced, by notching them deeply all round, and 

 thus more or less injuring the plants by limiting their 

 feeding powers. This curious condition of the leaves of 

 beans has often been noticed in the garden as well as 

 the field, and birds generally have had the credit of 

 causing it. Now, however, we know to whom to attri- 

 bute it, though it requires some adroitness to catch the 

 culprits at work, as the slightest motion, or even the 

 shadow of the approaching observer cast by the sun over 

 the plant, is sufficient to warn them, and cause them to 

 fall off to the ground. They generally make their appear- 

 ance in March, and are most vigorous in their attacks 

 during April, so that the earlier we get our seed in, and 

 the more advanced our crop is at the period of their visit, 

 the better able will it be to resist their attacks, Broad- 

 casting soot or lime, or a mixture of both, early in the 

 morning when the dew is on the plants, is the remedy 

 recommended. Although it does not destroy the weevils, 

 it saves the beans materially from their attacks. 



As the plant grows up it has frequently to encounter a 

 more dreaded enemy, the Aphis ffabce Bean Aphis or 

 "Black Dolphin" or "Collier Fly," as it is usually called. 

 This minute insect makes its appearance on the upper- 

 most part of the plant, and owing to its enormous powers 

 of reproduction, which Kollar tells us is at the rate of 

 729,000,000 in one season if the weather be suitable, it 

 rapidly takes possession of the head of the plant, and covers 

 the leaves and stem, gradually descending downwards, 

 until all appearance of colour has disappeared, and nothing 

 is seen but a dark shiny and sticky mass, consisting of 

 winged flies, each of which is supposed to derive its nourish- 

 ment from the sap of the plant. If this is allowed to con- 



