The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-05-24
CULTURE OF BEANS.
Profitable Crop Which Should
Planted Immediately ATuer COrn.

\ Profitable Crop Which should he
Planted Immediately Aruer Corn.
There are two or three counties IN
Western New York where beans are
grown to an enormous extent, and the
farmers have become rich by. their
sale. There seems to be no special
reason why this crop should have been
adopted in this section. We have
millions Of acres Of similar soil and
climate where beans are seldom
grown. If leguminous crops get their
nitrogen from the atmosphere, the
farms where beans are grown SO large.
ly and the vines fed out to sheep ought
to lie very rich. We do not learn that
such is the case. In fact. it is claimed
by some that beans prove to be an ex.
hausting crop. and that the old bean
growers are not making as much
money rs formerly.
Beans are at the present time brought
from Europe in bags right into the heart
of the bean-growing section of Western
New York, where they are put in bar
rels and shipped us New York State
beans From this it is evident that
our bean growers have IN established
reputation which the dealers are not
slow to utilize. 1t also indicates that
beans can be grown in other places.
We know many farmers undertake to
raise beans for the first time who made
a failure of it. They generally plant
when beans are high, and anticipating
large profits put in twice as many
acres as they are able to take care of.
Beans must be kept clean. But toe
much hoeing and cultivating does not
suit them. In other words, we need
clean land to start with. or we must
plant on sod turned over with a
"jointer" pillow Immediately before
planting. On such .Ind the beans oct
good growth before the weeds start,
and but little hoeing and cultiyatino
are necessary.
The bean-planter commonly used in
Western New York il drawn by one
horse. 1t makes two rows at a time,
twenty-nine inches apart. and drops
five or six beans in the rows in hills
about fifteen or eighteen inches apart.
The machine covers the beans, and the
whole work is done ut one operation.
If there are hard clay spots which the
machine does not cover completely,
the work must be done with hoe,
putting two inches of fine soil OH the
beans. Instead of using bean-plant.
CT many good farmers put in the
beans with an ordinary grain drill,
sowing three rows ut Il time, twenty
eight inches apart, and dropping the
beans about two inches apart in the
rows. They claim larger yield, but
it is, possibly, little more work to
keep them clean, and certainly more
work to pull them than when planted
in hills.
Beans are profitable crop. and it
seems a pity that we should ever have
to import them from Europe. But let
us again urge any of our readers who
may plant them for the first time to
select good. clean land. pillow carefully,
and harrow and roll till the surface is
as mellow rs garden. The advan-
tage of thorough narrowing is not ale
ways appreciated: -.
Cultivate between the rows fire.
quently, but not too deep. with fine
toothed steel horseshoe that will kill
every weed and leave tho surface
smooth and fine. Many of our corn
anltiyatarS are toa COARSE aud la,,-o
the land too rough. so that it dries out
in hot weather. and the growth of the
beans is checked. The rule in regard
to planting is to put in the beans as
soon as possible after corn is planted.
american Agricalturist.