Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-12-11
new VARIETIES OF
YELLOW EYE BEANS
Report of the Results of Breed
ing Work at Highmoor
Farm, ArOOstook

Orono, Me-. Dec. l0.-The following
was issued today from the Office Of
| Charles d. Woods, director Of the
Maine Agricultural experiment station
at tho University of Maine:
! For several years the Maine Agricul-
| tural Experiment Station has been en-
gagged in breeding new strains of beans
at Highmoor Farm. A large number
of new varieties and strains have been
reduced. Many Of these are still being
:. ted TO determine their value. Out of
- Urge number of new strains of I'm
;.uveL and Old Fashioned YeilowEyes
;..ch have been tested there are about
!; Goztn which have shown such excel
fled in Offering these to the farmers o.
the State. Accordingly during the past
| year these strains were multiplied in
/ large plots and a fair amount OF seed
is now available.
| One of the big difficulties with strains
of. yeilow-eye beans in this State has
, been their great tendency to throw
| black and notified beans every year
Our experiments have shown conclusive
! ~ that this is due to cross pollnation
by bumbe-bees where two or more W
! rieties are planted in the same tieiI
| In order to overcome this. all of the
early stages of our bean breeding has
! been done in an insect proof cage. 81
this way no crossing could take place
/ The multiplication plonts have been isl
| lated on different parts of the farm 20
| that we can give every assurance that
these new strains viii breed true 20
type.
| Many of the strains OF Improved and
Old Fashioned Yellow Eyes commonl !,
grown through the State are very infe-
rior IN quality from 4 market stand
po.nt. Special care has been taken Il
see that all of the new strains offere,
by the station are of the type that will
command the highest price on the Bos
ton market
, OF the several strains Of Old Fash
toned Yellow-Eyes offered for distribu-
! ton there is one which we regard as
! the best This strain has been given
the name "Highmoor Farm No. 1876.
! 1t is a large. plump bean with a clear,
white ground color and a medium, dark
| brownish eye color. Aside from its per
! feet shape and color Ihe chief diStin
gushing feature OF this bean is in rs
runner type of vine. Iiighmoor Farm
No. 1876 is The only strain Of beans il
which we have been able to combirc
tI,> n IT.c Enlloyt- ~,
and shape with the runner type of vine
| In this respect it is quite unique among
, Old Fashioned Yellow-Eyes. Owing t.
| the fact that the vines form these shot
runners this strain is capable of yield
! ing about one-third more per acre than
the ordinary strains.
! In addition to this strain Of Old Fash
ioneI Yellow-Eyes the station has pro
duceq several very excellent strains of
the common bush type. Notable among
these are the strains which We have
called "Highmoor Farm No. 1886 and
"Highmoor Farm No. 1905" Each of
these strains possesses the same excel
lent qualities of shape, color. and pat
tern shown by Highmoor Farm, No. 1876.
For growing under certain conditions
the push type Oh vine is ulStlnct al
vantage as it natures little earlier.
OF the several new varieties of I'M
proved Yellow-Eye beans the one known
as "Highmoor Farm No. 1917" has
shown some points of superiority over
the others. This bean carries the ideal
Improved Yellow-Eye pattern. 1t ~
large and plump with Il pure white
ground color and brownish yellow eye.
All Improved YellowEyc beans have
the short runner type of vine.
In addition 10 this strain the station
has produced several other varieties of
Improved Yellow Eyes which are only
slightly inferior TO Tlighmoor Farm No.
1877. OF these there may be mentioned
especially "Highmoor Farm No. 1872
and "Highmoor Farm No. 1919
Each of these varieties were grown on
fairly large plots during the past sea-
son and the Experiment station will be
able to distribute a limited amount of
seed to growers within the State. Cor
respondence relative to securing this
seed should be directed to Doctor Cias.
D. Woods, Director. ffaine Agricultural
Experiment Station. Orono. Game.