BEANS. 



Collier; Bean Aphis. Aphis nimicis, Linu. ; A. /aha, 

 Kirby & Spence. 



Aphis kdmicis. — 1, Bean shoot with Aphides ; 2, male Bean Aphis, magnified ; 

 3, nat. size ; 4, wingless female, magnified. 



Amongst the various kinds of Aphides which were unusually preva- 

 lent during the hot and dry season of 1893, the " Black Louse," or 

 Aphis, of the Beans played its part in various places. 



The first note of observation of its presence was sent me on the 

 6th of June from near Malmesbury, in Wilts, and the last on the 15th 

 of July from the Carse of Stirling, N.B. In this case three stalks of 

 Beans were forwarded to me "'' for examination as samples of a Bean 

 attack which was then very prevalent where crops of this kind were 

 grown on heavy land. 



This kind of Aphis infestation has been so often entered on that it 

 is scarcely worth while to allude to it again, excepting just to record it 

 being present to a troublesome amount in some places. The appearance 

 of Bean plants infested at the upper part, at first with a few black 

 Aphides, as figured above, afterwards with gradually increasing 

 numbers, until the upper part of the stalk is almost one blackened 

 mass of the " Colliers," their exudations, and the injured pods and 

 leafage, is generally well known, and so also should be the simple 

 remedy. 



By cutting off the tops early in the attack so far down as the 

 infestation reaches, and carefully destroying these, the further spread 

 of the mischief may be either quite stopped, or greatly checked. This 

 cutting back does no harm as regards lessening the amount or quality 

 of the crop ; in fact, rather the other way, if it U dune in good time. In 

 such case it only removes just a short length of the upper part of the 

 stem which is of very little use, whether with regard to the leafage on 

 it, or to the pods on it, which are usually too small to be of service, 



* See my reply in ' Scottish Farmer ' for July 22nd, p. 567. 



