Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-07-30
BREEDING THE
OLD-FASHIONED
YELLOW EYE BEAN
Experiments Being Carried on
AT the State Farm High
moor with Crafty
ing Results

Some years ago the Maine Agricul-
tural Experiment Station undertook
some breeding work with beans. The
immediate problem for which the work
was undertaken was to procure true
breeding strains of Old Fashioned yell
low Eye beans. A great deal of diff
Guilty has been experienced by bean
growers in securing strains which
would come even reasonably true to
seed. In spite of careful seed selection
for many years strains of these beans
often continue to throw small mem
bers of black. solid yellow notified or
white beans every year. Nearly all of
the large growers complain that in or
der to secure a good price for their
crop it is necessary to hand-piek their
beans every year.
At the time our work was started it
was believed that it would be rela-
lively simple matter to secure pure
breeding strains but our experience
has shown that this is not the case.
AT the time we began work with beans
Ii was believed that the bean flower
was normally self-fertilized; that is,
the pistil or female portion of the
flower was fortified by pollen from
the same flower. 1t was believed that
this fertilization took place before the
blossom opened. Two years ago we
found that this is not always the case
but that cross pollination could be
brought about by bumble-bees.
If one watches a large humble bee
working in a bean field it will be seen
that when he lights on the lower pet
ais of the flower the long pistil is
forced out until it touches his body.
This pistil is covered with pollen from
it's own flower and some of this is
rubbed onto the bees body. When he
visits the next flower the operation is
repeated and some of the pollen from
the first flower may be left on the pis-
til of the second. Where more than
one kind of beans are grown in the
same or adjoining fields they are al
most certain to be mixed. The mixing
is all done by the large humble bees
since the honey bees are too small to
trip the petals and force out the pistil.
For this reason it has been necessary
to carry on the bean breeding under
other conditions. Last year there was
built at Highmore bean cage 25x50
feet which was enclosed on both roof
and sides with screen wire. This effec-
tually excludes all insects which
might cross pollinate the bean flowers.
Last year number of strains of
Old Fashioned Yellow Eye beans were
grown under this Gage. A few of these
appeared to be breeding true. These
strains are being tested further this
year. If they prove to be true to type
they will be multiplied in isolated
plots next year so that there will be
no danger of crossing. In order to
maintain such strain pure it will be
necessary for the grower to plant only
one kind of beans or at least to have
the different kinds so separated that
there will be no danger of crossing by
the humble bees.
In addition to the work of develop
ing pure strains of Old Fashioned yell
low Eyes the Station is also attempt
ing to produce new and desirable types
of beans by means of controlled n.y.
bridization. This work is not suffi-
GENTLY advanced to give any evidence
of what results are to be expected
CHAS. D. WOODS, Director.