Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-06-18
The Lima Bssn,


The lima bean is ono Of tho most
popular vegetables but for one reason
or another many people have trouble
In getting them TO do well, aud some
people in getting them at all.
This bean loves heat, dislikes cold
moisture, and delights in loose rich
soil. Those who wish to succeed have
to DO careful that all these conditions
are fully insured.
In order TO guard against damp the
earth is drawn into hills, SO that any
super.abundant moisture can pass rap
idly away. If tho soil be heavy q
large portion Of road sond is mixed
with the soil in these hills, and If ono
can have access to COW yard, will
decomposcd manure from such local.
ity is the perfection of food to the
lima bean. Then in planting they
ought not 10 be set but just beneath
the surface, or they will be very liable
to rot in pushing their way through.
1t does no harm either 10 push them
in the dirt edgewiso, as the sprouting
germ comes up all the sooner therefor.
But with even all these precautions
for dryness, food and warmth, people
often plant too soon q cold rain fol-
lows and tho seed rots. A first.rate
truck gardener tells us that he nevor
sets his beans until the earth in the
hills rises to sixty degrees, as he tests
it by thermometer, and he has a tol-
erable certainty that it will continue
at least this. In this way he avoids
replanting, as 80 many of his neigh
bors do who plant on the haphazard
system. Four sound. looking beans
are set to each hill and if all do well
one is taken out. Ho regards three
plants as fully enough to remain.
A great difficulty with some people
is to get bean poles, and many schemes
have been adopted ia the endeavor TO
do without them. We have known
quite light branches to be used, mere
pea brush. In these cases three pieces
are stuck into the ground around the
hill, so as to be perhaps eighteen
inches apart, and the tops are tied to-
gether with piece of twine. or
course they are liable to be broken off
by the weight of beans toward the
end of the season but on tho whole
they make fair substitute. OF late
the suhhower has been employed to
make live poles, These arc planted
very oarly in spring whore the poles
are to be, or rather where the old
fashioned poles would be. By bean
planting time in June the plants have
made tolcrable headway, and the hill
for the seed is drawn around the stems.
They mako admirable poles if tho
strong-growing sunaowers are en-
ployed. But they are liable to the
objection Of eating up some of the
food intended for the beans. Still
there is some compensation even for
this, for the seed makes excellent
chickenfeed, and where fire. wood is
scarce Che dead stalks mako good
kindling. wood.
Whenever poles can be had, thcre
is nothing better. They are neat, and
when set in straight rows about four
feet apart, have q garden. like look,
which after all is part of the pleasures
Of horticulture. If they are scarce
and dear, they may be preserved a
long time by little care. Cedar
poles lave been known to last eight
and even ten years, if they can be
protected from wet during the winter
season. Oak poles also last long
timo. Usually they rot off near the
ground, and to prevent this they may
be dipped in gas tar, or some say char
ring the ends in The rubbish fire, which
one has TO make in most gardens at
the annual clearing ap, will answer
the same purpose.
If it be very great object TO have
the poles last as long as possible, the
bark may be taken Oh, for it is gener-
ally in tile encouragement given to the
collecting of moisture between the
bark and the wood, that wood gener-
ally SO soon rots away, The part in
or near the ground ought TO be strip
ped of bark at any rate.-Germantown
Telegraph. 9fe e.7ep