Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-03-05
The Growing Of White Beans

TO Me Editors Of he Maryland Far
sser
am not book Farmer, but having
had come experience ir farming 10 the
last fifty years, I will apsEer some Of
Your inquiries in regard to tho growing
Of beans. ~
Forty years ago tho demand for
beans was quite limited, aud they we're
only grown in small way, and il was
seldom any farmer raised more than Eve
to ten bushels, which we're generally
consumed at home. as the market price
was only about one dollar.
The price, however, was not the rea.
son that larger crops were not grown.
There was really no demand for them.
For many years past there has been an
increasing demand for them, aud the
supply has not been equal to the de.
mand, and the result has been that at
times yey exorbitant prices have been
realized tx t't.aak
Within the past year the navy or pea
bean has sold at from four to i've dol
lars per busbel
IL has been often asked what is the
best kind Of white beans to plant, and
tsis Is q question all growers will soon
loayn when they raise them for market
when they will find that experienced
buyers generally want the pure navy or
pea bean. and the neurer TO pea shape
q. E. round) the better they will sell.
II is sometimes difficult to obtain the
pure pea bean, as Peas are often badly
mixed, but when that is the case they
nre easily detected, and If the seed is
not pure the crop Of course cannot be
so. Pure seed will be nearly oil Of one
shape, and ii any Of the long white
beans are found 10 it they should be
picked cut. With purc seed tho crop
will be pure, and necessarily command
the highsss, price. IL
The pure navy or pea bean is small
10 size and easy Of cultivation, as they
will grow in almost any SOIL. have
grown ihem on gravelly and sandy soils
Geo poor that corn or potatoes would rot
grow on il to pay,) aud raised fair
crop, but they do best in light loan.
If the, ground is too rich they will run
tco'much TO vines.
hy method Of planting has been in
rows three feet apart, and if the ground
is in good condition, 10 hills Is inches
apart in the rows, with five beans sto
each hill; but II the ground is thin and
poor / planted them in drills instead of
hills, aud cultivate same as corn, except
never to pillow or hce them early in the
mornipgfor afteria rain until the vines
have become entirely dry, us 1t does not
answer to work them wet They arc
like most other vegetables, the better
they are cultivated the better they viii
yield.
The time for planting Is about the
same as for corn, although they viii ma
ture 10 less time and can be planted two
or three weeks later aud do we'll !
have planted sbem with corn, dropping
the beans about thee inches from the
corn, 50 that there was no extra labor
in covering or boeing. aud with very
good success With both crops. ] could
not see thas the beans injured the corn
in any way. but the growth Of the beans
wac mob as good as when planted alone,
] have seen farmers plant corn with q
running bean, to Gun up the stalks, but
/ thiuk this is a mistake, as it is on inju
ny to the corn and troublesome to bar
vest.
The navy bean is not runner, and
in harvesting they are pulled uprby tbs
roots before they are dry enough t.
shell BY handling, and after drying sufii
cient to shell easily, thresh them with
fails aud pass them through a Mont.
gomery Wheat Fan and they will b.
ready for market. i4tst
The split and waste beans are exsel,
lent food for sheep, and the vines are o.
no use except for tho manure heap.
. L have hastily given you some Of my
views and experience in bean culture
and would be gladto hear. FROM Others
ON this subject, as intend TO continue
the growing Of beans and want ali The
INFORMATION | can get. on the subject.
4 Vouen. frs.lu. a Isr -