Charlevoix county herald., 1914-06-06
SATURDAY. JUNE 6. 1914.
FARMERS MUST
FIGTHT DISEASE
Loss on Bean Crop Enormous
in Michigan.

/ East Lansing Mich. June lst.-Spur-
red to action by statistics showing that
during 1913 farmers in Michigan suf-
fered loss of more than $1,000, 900 by
disease which blighted the bean crop,
authorities at the Michigan Agriculture
al College are preparing to start an
educational campaign among the farm
ers to prevent repetition OF this
enormous loss in this years crop. Dur
ing the next few days, superintendent
r. j. Baldwin, of the department OF
college extension, will mail to $35, 200
bean growers in the state, bulletin,
prepared by the college, explaining the
menace that exists in the various bean
diseases and detailing effective methods
of fighting them.
The college authorities estimate the
value of the field beans crop in Michi-
gan during 1913 at $l0,OOO,0OO. On the
ground that any facor influencing or
endangering, this staple crop with its
enormous investment is worthy OF in
vestigation, the college experts pre-
pared the bulletin on bean diseases
and are preparing to give it widespread
publicity
Leading in this work is j. H. Munsie,
of the college staff. To draw the inte-
rest of the bean growers to the colleges
campaign, Prof. Munsie today gave the
following interview to the United Press
BY j. H. MUNSIE,
Research Assistant in Plant Diseases,
Michigan Agricultural College,
The bean dealers of Michigan esti-
mate that bean blight and anthracnose
caused loss of about 81, 900, 600 for the
year 1918. When the shortage in yield
discolored beans, shrunken seed and
cost of picking are considered this
seems to be conservative estimate.
1t is difficult to say which Of the dis
eases is the more injurious. In areas
where continued wet weather is pre-
valent, anthracnose is perhaps more
noticeable especially upon the pods
and seeds. Blight also is widespread
under such conditions and inflicts seri-
Gus damage to the crop by its attack
upon the leaves which causes mark
ed reduction in the yield and uneven
ripening of the pods.
At the present season when great
areas are being prepared for the 1914
bean crop too much emphasis cannot
be placed upon securing clean seed for
planting. Every effort should be made
to secure seed free from even slight
discoloration. Affected seed should be
hand picked at least twice to remove as
much of the disease as possible. Deal.
ers should be able to give information
concerning the yielding qualities of the
seed and its freedom from disease
Seed should not be bought simply be-
cause it is northern grown" or "west-
ern" for the reason that bean diseases
are prevalent wherever beans are
grown commercially and such seed is
no better than an examination for dis
coloration would indicate.
In addition to clean seed the practice
Of crop rotation helps greatly to avoid
disease epidemics. Serious losses have
been reported on fields fortified with
manure from stock fed on bean fodder.
Precaution should be taken throughout
the season against cultivating in or
walking through the fields while the
bean plants are wet with rain or dew.
To do so is to spread the disease from
one part of the field to another.
A workable control measure is known
for anthracnose, but at present the
control of blight remains unsolved.
Anthracnose can be avoided by secur-
ing seed from clean pods. Pods entire
ly free from spots should be selected,
and to make doubly sure they should
be dipped for ten minutes in corrosive
sublimate solution lone part to one
thousand parts of water.) After drying
in the sun, away from the dust of the
field, these pods should be shelled and
the seed enclosed in air tight fruit jars.
The next season this seed should be
used to start small seed plot on clean
ground. Any diseased plants which
might appear in such plot could be re-
moved and burned. A few Michigan
growers have practiced pod selection
with excellent results.