The Republican journal., 1918-12-19
New Varieties of Yellow-Eye
Beans.
Results of Breeding Work at Highmoo,
Farm.

For several years the Maine Agrlcult-
ural Elk pertinent Station has been engae-
ed in breeding new strains of beans at
Highmoor Farm. A large number of
new varieties and strains have been pro-
duced Many of these are still beng
tested to determine their value. Out OF
a large number of new strains of improv-
ed and old fashioned yellow-eyes which
have been tested, there are about dozen
which have shown such excellent quail
ties that the Station feels justified IN Of
fering these to the farmers OF the State.
Accordingly during the past year these
strains were multiplied in large plots and
fair amount of seed is now available.
One of the big difficulties with strains
of yellow-eye beans in this State has
been their great tendency to throw black
and notified beans every year. Our ex-
periments have shown concluslvely that
this is due to cross pollination by humble
bees where two or more varieties are
planted in the same field. In order to
overcome this all of the early stages of
our bean breeding has been done in an in
sect-proof cage. In this way no cross
ing could take place. The multiplication
plots have been isolated on different parts
of the farm SO that we can give every as
surance that these new strains will breed
true to type.
Many of the strains of improved and
old fashioned yellow-eyes commonly
grown through the State are very in
ferior in quality from a market stand
point. Special care has been taken to
see that all of the new strains offered by
the Station are of the type that will COM
mand the highest price on the Boston
market.
Of the several, strains of old fashioned
yellow-eyes offered for distribution there
is one which we regard as the best. This
strain has been given the name "High-
moor Farm No. 1876" 1t is large,
plump bean with a clear, white ground
color and medium, dark brownish eye
color. Aside from its perfect shape and
color the chief distinguishing feature of
this bean is in it's runner type of vine.
Hiehmoor Farm No. 1876 is the only
strain of beans in which we have been
able to combine the old fashioned yellow
eye pattern and shape with the runner
type of vine. In this respect it is quite
unique among old fashioned yellow eyes.
Owing to the fact that the vines form
these short runners this strain is capable
of yielding about 1-3 more per acre than
the ordinary strains.
In addition to this strain of old fashion,
ed yellow-eyes the Station has produced
several very excellent strains of the
common bush type. Notable among
these are the strains which we have CALL
ed "Highmoor Farm No. 1862 and
"Highmoor Farm No. 1902, Each of
these strains possess the same excellent
qualities of shape, color and pattern
shown by Highmoor Farm No. 1876. For
growing under certain conditions the
bush type of vine is distinct advantage
as it natures little earlier. OF the sew
eral new varieties of improved yellow
eye beans the one known as "Hiahmoor
Farm No. 1917" has shown some points
Of superiority over the others. This bean
carries the ideal improved yellow-eye
pattern. It is large and plump with
pure white ground color and brownish
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.