The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-06-05
FARMERS TOLD
HOW TO CONTROL
BEAN DISEASES
Blight and Anthracnose Cause
Losses and Department Tells
How 10 Avoid Them.

WASHINGTON, d. c., June o.
The blight and anthracnose of garden
and field beans caused a loss in Mich
igan alone estimated at $z,O0O,000 or
twenty per cent of the crop OF 1918.
This state does not stand alone for
similar conditions obtain in other
bean-growing sections. 1t is becom-
ing more difficult each year to secure
bean seed from from one or both of
these diseases. In view of theie facSs,
it is hIyhly important that the dis
eases be more thoroughly recognized
and that the best available methods
of control, some of which must be be-
gun in the early cultivation OF the
plants, be understood and put into
practice.
Cause of AnthracnOse.
Bean anthracnose is caused by a
fungos which attacks the stems,
leaves, pods and seeds of the plants.
On the stems and leaf veins it causes
elongated, sunken, dark-red cankers,
sometimes killing young plants and
often producing deformed and yell
lowed leaves. Rounded or irregular
sunken spots with slightly raised
rim are produced on the pods. TIE
spots usually have pink centers sur
rounded by darker reddish border.
In severe cases the pods may be en-
tirely covered by the sores and pro-
duce no seed. In other cases the fun
gus penetrates the pods and enters
the seed, causing dark, sunken specks
or spots In these diseased seed as
we'll as in the refuse from diseased
plants the fungus is propagated from
season to season.
Cause Of Blight.
The bean blight differs from an
thracnose in several ways. 1t is caused
by bacterial organism. On the
leaves it produces irregular, diseased
areas which at first have a watersoaked
appearance, later dry out and become
brown and brittle. The entire margin
or half of a leaflet is often affected
On the pods the disease starts as
slightly raised and watery pustules,
which later enlarge, become of irreg-
u!ar shape and amber color with yell
low centers. Infected seed show yell
low diseased blotches or are entirely
yellowed and shriveled.
Nature of Loss.
Both diseases cause serious losses
in the snap bean trade. Diseased pods
are unmarketable and must be sorted
out If but a few slightly spotted
pods are packed in a basket, the dis
ease may spread during shipment,
causing additional loss and necessitat-
ing extra sorting before the beans
can be sold to the customer In the
seed bean trade all beans must be
hand-pcked to get out the discolored
diseased seeds From fifteen to thirty
per cent Of diseased beans are fire.
quently sorted out, INVOLVING heavy
loss of beans as we'll as the cost of
sorting. Diseased Deans used for seed
usually give a poor stand and result
in the production of badly diseased
crop.
Control Measures.
1t has been conclusively demon
strated that anthracnose can be avoid
ed by a careful system OF seed selec-
ton. Save seed from perfectly healthy
pods, selected with great care for en-
tire absence of spotting. Carefully
keep them away from diseased pods,
shell by hand to avoid reinfection, and
plant on clean land. Pull and burn
any plants showing disease. BY plant
ing the seed thus secured enough dis
ease-frce seed can be secured to plant
the whole crop.
In the absence of such disease-free
seed % secure for planting, seed hav-
ing the least possible amount Of dis
ease as shown nv actual eXamina-