The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-04-22
new u.thod OF Be.n Growing.

correspondence to the Country Gentleman
With good yield and irir quality OF crop,
besn culture rs quite profitable. They are
not exhaustive, and have never found
letter crop to prepare the land for wheat.
Belonging to the same botanical family as
olover-ths leguminosae-they leave the
land in 3 condition extremely favorable for
growth OF the wheat plant.
The navy bean will in ordinary seasons
mature in eleven weeks from planting, and
this viii enable the farmer TO grow a crop OF
rye 10 turn under before planting to enrich
the lard. or if be has piece of land foil OF
foul seeds be can by early plowing and sub.
reQuent stirring get most OF the weed seed TO
sisri, and destroy them before the beans are
plsnled; 90 it is seen that rightly managed
bears are cleansing cr3p.
In several counties IN southern OHIO
beans bsve been grown largely field crop
by a method which have never seen else
where. The land is pl0Ted early and fIe'
Quently cultivated, 90 as to kill the weeds
and get 1t IN nice condition, and about the
10Th of June the beans are drilled a. the
rate Of about one bushe4 OF seed per acre,
with the wheat drill, with every third hoe
stopped. This gives two rows, eight inches
apart then s space Of sixteen inches and
two more Of the close rows. After sowing,
the field is rolled 60 IS to leave 1t level, and
nothing more is done TO the crop until mstu-
". when they are cut with the moving ma.
slow work Of pulling. 1t is wise 10 plant as
soon after rain az the ground can be
worked, ard It is very desirable that there
should be no heavy rains until the beans sre
up end have good start, Tor, If q heavy rain
falls soon after planting, they are likely TO
rot in low spots, making an imperfect
stand, and The weeds will stsrt
with them and choke the crop. If, how
ever, the conditions are favorable for the
Erst few days, and the crop gets good start,
they will soon cover the ground so SIS to keep
down the weeds and produce good crop.
II the beans are to be cultivated SOW with
the wheat Grill ard make the rows two feat
apart. Cultivation should be shallow aud
level, so SIS not 10 heap any earth up at the
rows, and, with favorable weather, will need
to be repeated bat once, as the crop Will
soon take possession of the soil. Harvesting
should not be deferred until the pods are
dry, or there will be loss from Smelling. As
soon IS half the pods are yellow the crop
may be cut or pulled, and should be cured
as rapidly rs possible and taken to shelter as
soon as possible. II lofts with open hoors
can be bad to store them on thsre is little
danger Of damage to them in the barn, SIS
they do not pack closely, and the air will
circulate through quite bunch OF them.
The bsst time to JhTesh beans is in clear,
cold weather in winter, but il it is not con-
vsnient TO keep them, there are usually dry
ing. wiz dy DAYS through the autumn when
they are in prime condition. the quickest
and best way to thresh is to tramp with
horses, but care must be taken not to Lex the
oIsss ST ep or the bare floor, or to have THU
places, or the beans will many Of them be
split, which Will detract from their appear.
Al &c at 10 jure their sale
il the weeds have been kept down in the
crop it will be better not to ploR the land
for wheat, but simply me low the surface
vi h the cUltivs1or or harrow and dciIIin the
SEED. as the land where beans have grown
viii De found to pQlverizs easily. L have
spoken only OF the navy bean, becSuse it Is a
standard variety. On some soils. and for
certain markets. some other variety wul
often prove more profitable. and each gro ser
must judge for himself what to plant. TIE
tree bean" which has been largely adver-
! tised for tome years, seems to be only an in
proved navy, and the name I consider mis-
| noner, as it does not, as the name implies,
crow ia tree firm