Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-03-07
CULTURE OF THE WHITE BEAN.

From the Country Gentleman.
The cultivation Of the bean should be exten-
ded. The crop has this advantsge-if the price
is low, the beans may be mixed with corn and
other grain, ground, and fed to cows and sheep.
They are one Of the very best kinds of food for
milch COWS. The crop does not impoycrish the
land and when fed to domestic animals, the
manure is rich and valuable.
Many suppose that poor land is necessary to
raise white beans-only because they will grow
better on poor land than other crops. Nothing
is better for them than good rich corn land.
If the soil is rather heavy, excellent way is to
turn over clover sod late in spring, roll and bar
row il, and plant the bears. There will be less
hoeing needed, as fresh inverted sod is usually
clean soil. When the soil is free from weeds,
the best way is TO drill the beans, 60 that the
drills may be about 2 (. or feet apart, aud the
seed about inches apart in the drills. Ii a
drill cannot be had, furrow out the land, and
drop the beans by mailing or tying small tin
pail to the lower end OF a rod about the size Of
q walking stick, make a hole in the bottom large
enough for the beans to pass out, and walk
along Stalking it over the furrow. The quantity
or distance may be perfectly regulated by
making the hole the right size from trial, by
shaking or less rapidly, and walking slow
last. If the soil is weedy, plant in hills foot
and a half apart in the row, and seven 10 a hill.
The besns will be yellow in three months and
ready for harvesting, which is done By pulling
they will be dry enough, if placed in small
heaps. If wet weather is feared, take the bun
ches and place them in email stacks made around
pole driven into the ground, -radiatirg from the
centre or pole, and with either roots or tops out
these stacks may be as high e man can easily
reach, and should be built four small sticks
at the bottom the size of store wood, laid across
to keep the beans of the vet ground, and to
allow the drying wind to blow under. When
quite dry, oraw out the pole and draw them to
the barn, and thrash in winter. As a single
proof of the profit Of bean raising, T {. Max.
well Co, n. Y, recently informed 1s that
they had planted small white beans in ths vacan-
cies Of their extensive nursery, where trees had
been dug last spring altogether TO
about 40 acres. The cultivation cost almost
nothing. they stood in rows Of scattered trees;
but they think if the beans stood alone. the
whole cost Of cultivation would not have been
eight dollars an acre. They had 500 bushels Of
beans, which sold, at Sl.50 per bushel, for ST.
200. The cost Of cultivation. estimated at the
very highest at $50, deducted from this sum,
leaves q clear profit Of $3.50 for the use Of the 30
acres Of land They have hne, rich, tile-draine
land. but it had evidently been considerably ex-
hausted by the previous growth Of the trees.
A sword for Major General Banks has late
" been COMPLETED 10 Philadelphia. aud will
l.. rrsseurei u him at Frederick. Maryland.
The hilr Il ot cold silver: the scabbard Is Of
silver. plated with gold, ard bears the follow
inc inscription ..Prssentod to Major Gen
eral MP. BANKS. By Colonel j. X. Murphy.
Ma;Vr 81. Scott, Captain l.. Z. kinsler, Of
the Tweuty-Ninth Reglmert Pennsylvania
Volunteers. The hilt contains the initials
an. P. B."