Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-06-16
CnItnre Of Field Renns.

The culture of field beans has never receiv-
ed the attention it deserves in this country.
Take the season and the markets as they come,
there is usually as much profit in raising
beans as any crop produced on farms. Those
who raised beans last year found them very
profitable. The price has ranged from SO to
81 per bushel since the last crop was gather
ed. As the crop natures in ten or twelve
weeks, il can be raised to advantage in parts
of the country where the season is very short.
As the best time to plant beans in this lati-
tude is from the first to the middle of June,
the ground can be prepared and tho planting
done after the other field crops have been put
in, and most of the work can be done by per
sons who cannot do the harder kinds of field
labor. The crop can be kept a long time
without danger of injury, and if prices are
poor one season, it can be held till the next
one. Beans of very inferior quality and those
that have been injured by exposure or other
causes can be fed to sheep to most excellent
advantage.
A strong or very rich soil is not required
for field beans Indeed, good crops are often
obtained en- soils that are not sufficiently rich
to produce paying yield of any other farm
product 1t is not best to use fresh, rank ma
nure for beans, as 1t tends to make a large
growth of vines and foliage. If any stable
manure is used, it should be old and well rot
ed, thoroughly pulverized and incorporated
with the soil 1t is good plan to apply ma
nure to field intended for beans in the fall
before the crop is planted. An old pasture is
good place to devote to this crop. 1t is bet
ter mo- to prepare the ground for beans until
about time to plant. The rows should be very
straight, so that the cultivator can be run close
to the stalks without injuring them. Rows
should be two or two and a half feet apart
The dropping and covering may be done by
hand or with a seed drill, or a grain drill may
be used by closing three -fourths of the pipes
| Little cultivation will be needed unless the
soil is very weedy. 1t is well to work the first
time by hand. Some of the small plants may
have pieces of stone or hard earth over them
| which must be removed so they can grow
Sometimes it is necessary to do q little thin
ming, and also to transplant. It is best to
work the soil Immediately around the plants
with hoe, doing the rest with a common cul-
| tivator. The vines should never be disturbed
while wet with rain or dew, as it will render
them liable to rust, which will affect the beans
| themselves, as well as the foliage. Harvest
| ing should be done in a dry time and when
| the majority of the beans are well ripened,
which is shown by the pods turning yellow.
Some pull the plants by the time the pods are
half turned, and state that they get the best
| results. The vines, after being pulled, should
be left on the ground to wilt and partly cure ;
then put in small stacks to become thorough
ly dry. Three stakes sharpened at one OF
both ends are used to support the stacks. An
iron bar is used in setting them, and they are
set in the form of a triangle, about IS inches
apart at the bottom and spreading outward
toward the top. Withes, ropes, or some 9th.
er support, should be placed within two feet
of the bottom for the vines to rest on. The
roots should point toward the centre of the
| oh nd oh ha elo ,,nl L. Iii
made hay-stack. Beans should not be thrash
ed till very dry. They are thrashed to best
advantage in dry, cold weather, and the best
place for the operation is tight barn floor
The beans can be tramped out by horses Oh
with hand fail, and to prevent splitting then
there should be a large quantity of vines on
the floor. They are readily cleaned by pour.
ing them against the wind, the barn doors be.
ing left open Chicago Times.