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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
1. New and old seed beans have been compared for three years, in the last two of which precise field experiments have been conducted with two different strains.
2. In general new seed gave higher yields than old seed, but the difference was only of the order of 10 per cent. There was some evidence that conditions when the seed was harvested might be more important than age.
3. New seed produced more branches in early spring, and a greater number of pod-bearing stems at harvest; on the other hand, old seed produced stems that were more thickly podded at harvest, and pods that contained a greater number of beans.
4. In one case abnormally large seed produced very vigorous plants, and very large beans at harvest.