The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1875-03-06

Il
row, q distance Of about eight feet is
Left one way, to permit horse and wag>
on or slide to pass, to take the beams
when gathered. Hot water. somewhat
below the boiling point should be poured
over the seeds, and they should remain
in this water twenty-four hours before
being planted. The temperature of the
water will, of course be gradually re-
duced to the temperature of the atinos-
phere. Applying the lot water once
will be sufficient. If planted without
this preparation, they are great while
in terminating, many of them not max
ing their appearance for three or four
weeks. With this preparation. they will
soon terminate. and come up regularly.
Some farmers put in each hill one-half
those which have had hot water poured
over them and one-half those which
have not so that if the cutworms de-
stroy the first that come up, a stand may
be obtained from the Others, which will
come up a week or two later. Good,
sound, plump seed should be selected for
planting.
A half bushel will plant eight or ten
acres. Eight or ten seeds should be
dropped in each hill. But one, or at
most two, plants are left in hill. As
the cutworm is quite destructive to the
plants, this number of seeds is recon-
mended, SO as to be certain of an even
stand. Of course, re-planting can be
done; but it is better to avoid it, if pos
sible, by planting plenty of seed. The
seed should be planted a. soon Is all
danger Of frost is over. The plants are
as easily destroyed by frost As our COM
mon bean, and therefore, planting should
be delayed till after the frs: of May.
The cultivation of the plant consists in
destroying the weeds and grass, and
keeping the soil open and mellow. These
objects are chiefly obtained by using the
hose and cultivator, or small pillow,
working between the rows both ways.
It is also necessary to work among the
plants with hoes, going over them two
or three times, cutting the weeds away
the plants that cannot be reached with
the pillow or cultivator, and drawing a
little mellow earth to the plants, gradu-
ally reducing the number to one plant
in hill, though two are occasionally
left. One strong, vigorous plant howev-
er will produce better seeds than two,
and as great a quantity. After the
plant is two feet high, it is capable of
trking care of itself, and grows rapidly.
After heavy rains however it is still ad
visable to work between the rows with
the horse cultivator. breaking up the
crust that has formed on the surface of
the ground, and opening and loosening
the soil to derive greater benefit from
the atmosphere. 1t will be seen that the
cultivation is as simple as that of Indian
corn, or of the common navy bean.
About the first of August, the beans
begin to ripen. They are produced in
pods or husks, or spikes about eighteen
inches long. and should be gathered as
soon as the pods begin to turn brown,
to prevent loss by their popping out on
the field, as the beans, when ripe, pop or
burst from the pod quite distance.
They are gathered by cutting of the
entire spike. Each plant has number
of these and they are produced and ripen
in succession till frost. Of course only
those exhibiting brown pods should be
cut. These spikes are then thrown into
a wagon or on slide, passing through
the broad rows and hauled away TO the
dry yard, which is made on piece of
land near the bean field, sloping to the
south so rs to get as much heat as posi-
BILE from the sun to ripen the beans and
cause them to burst from the husk. Then
roll the ground down hard and make a
fence around the yard, by placing boards
up against rails laid on crotched sticks
or posts though the fence is not neccs-
sary if the yard is made large enoukh
to leave space outside the beans, of
twelve or fifteen feet, as many of the
beans will pop that distance and if the
fence is not built, or the space left, many
of the beans will be lost il the grass or
field beyond the yard.
The spikes are occasionally turned
over and exposed to the sun, until all
the seeds have left the husks. when the
old spikes are taken away and new
supply added. The same process is gone
through with the entire crop. When
rain is anticipated, rake the spikes into
a heap and cover them with straw or
plank sweep the beans up; clean them
with tanning mill, sack them up and
store in dry place. Do not attempt to
pop them out in pots over the fire, Is it |
renders them almost worthless.
After the beans begin to ripen, the
field should be gone over once or twice
a week till frost. In hot. dry weather
they ripen more rapidly than in cool, wet
weather. Children can perform this
work, and large family of children
cannot he moro nrofitahly employed than