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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



potato, tomato, and egg-plant. Descriptions of the diseases are given and 

 remedial measures, where possible, suggested. — F, J. G. 



Bag- Method of Keeping* Grapes {Le Jardin, vol. xx. No. 455, 

 p. 36 ; February 5, 1906). — Grapes preserved in paper bags were able last 

 autumn to resist a temperature of 7° C. (45° Fahr.) as registered at 

 Thomery. The grapes thus preserved fetched 7 to 8 francs (5s. Id. to 

 7s. 6d.) per kilo. (2 lb. 5 oz.), while other bunches not put into bags were 

 worth only 4.50 to 5 francs (3s. Id. to 4s.). The objections to this method 

 are bulk and liability to mildew, but these will doubtless be obviated by 

 modifying the shape and arrangement before another winter. — F. A. W. 



Bag- Method of Keeping" Fruit {Le Jardin, vol. xx. No. 458, 

 p. 82 ; March 20, 1906).— Experiments carried out upon grapes in 1905 

 show that when kept in bags they contain considerably more sugar and 

 less acid than the grapes not so treated. Hence their market value is 

 augmented. With pears the results were less satisfactory. The colour of 

 the paper used for the bags appears to be of importance. White has 

 generally been employed, but blue seems to be more satisfactory. Red 

 produced no very marked results. The subject deserves more notice. 



F. A. W. 



Bean Forcing'. By C. A. Vallejo (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Wisconsin, 

 An7i. Bep. 1904, pp. 261-270 ; figs.). — It is considered that lack of suc- 

 cess in bean cultivation under glass is mostly due to want of know- 

 ledge of the best cultural methods and unwise selection of varieties. It 

 is recommended that the beans should be planted so that they are from 

 20 to 36 inches apart. They need direct sunlight, and should be kept at 

 about 50° to 60° F. at night and 70° to 75° F. in the day. Both air and soil 

 should be kept moist. Fertilisers containing nitrogen, potash, and phos- 

 phates gave much better results than when one constituent was left out. 

 ' Ne Plus Ultra ' was found more productive and of better quality than the 

 ' Golden-eyed Wax ' beans. In order to keep down the white fly and red 

 spider a moist atmosphere must be maintained, fumigation with tobacco 

 being apt to harm the plants. — F. J. C. 



Beans, Some Diseases of. By H. H. Whetzel {U.S.A. Exp. Stn. 



Cornell, Bull. 239 ; April 1906 ; 17 figs.). — Three diseases are dealt with. 



(1) Bean anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindeinu- 

 thianum, affects stem, leaves, pods, and seeds of the bean. It is 

 characterised by the appearance of rusty brown or black spots on stems, 

 pods, or leaves, at times even on the seed-leaves just as they emerge from 

 the soil. The veins on the lower surface of the older leaves are blackened 

 and destroyed. Diseased seeds show reddish-brown or black spots, and 

 are often sunken or shrivelled. Soaking the seeds in a disinfectant does 

 not prove efficacious owing to the depth to which the fungal threads 

 penetrate. Great care should be taken in procuring seed from a clean 

 source. Any diseased seedlings should be removed and burnt. Spraying 

 the plants thoroughly with Bordeaux mixture as soon as they are up, 

 again about ten days afterwards, and again after the pods are set, has 

 given excellent results. ' Wax ' varieties are the most susceptible. 



