AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 153 



when they appeared above ground and not more than two- thirds of 

 the seed came up. The remaining plants were dwarfed and early 

 showed the presence of the disease. We procured new seed and 

 made a second planting. 



We have purchased our seed for the past seven years from that 

 offered for sale by prominent dealers and have never had a crop 

 free from the disease. It is common among gardeners to leave the 

 bushes with the diseased pods upon them to rot on the ground, and 

 to plant a second crop in the same place. We practice rotation of 

 crops even in the garden with good results. It is a good practice 

 to clear a garden in the fall of all refuse and carefully burn it. 

 By doing this, fungi that live in the decaying organic matter are 

 destroyed, along with hybernating insect pests. Beans should be 

 planted on a light dry soil, in hills, or if in rows far enough apart 

 to give good circulation of air. Moisture favors the growth of 

 Anthracnose and other bean diseases. Care should be taken not 

 to hoe beans after a rain or when the dew is on for the dirt that 

 sticks to the leaves is liable to contain spores that will germinate 

 and rapidly spread the disease. Professor Jordan showed us some 

 badly spotted pods that were apparently free from the disease when 

 purchased in the Orono market a day or two before. 



If possible secure seed from your own, or a neighbor's field that 

 was free from disease. It is hazardous to plant seed from an 

 infested field. If obliged to take seed from a field that has been 

 diseased pains should be taken to select pods from plants that have 

 escaped the disease. All beans that show sunken pits, discolored 

 patches, or are even wrinkled or blistered should be rejected. 

 Diseased seedlings should be pulled as early as possible and removed 

 from the field or burned, as the fungus will ripen its spores in the 

 decaying plant. Some practice spraying beans with Bordeaux mix- 

 ture early in the season, and claim that the fungus is controlled by 

 it. The following precautions should materially lessen the disease : 



I. Select good seed, rejecting all beans that seem at all unsound. 



II. Should the disease appear in the young beans carefully des- 

 troy all affected seedlings. 



III. If convenient spray early with Bordeaux mixture and 

 repeat the application if needed before the pods form. 



IV. Do not plant on ground that has borne an infec'.ed crop 

 the past season. 



V. Plant on a dry soil in hills or in rows far enough apart to 

 admit air freely. Hoe when the ground and foliage are dry. 



