Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1908-09-19
BEANS A PROFITABLE CROP.
Washington and Idaho Farmers Should
Consider Bean Culture.

farmers of Idaho and eastern Wash
ington, and it is, therefore, fitting that
the question of bean culture should be
considered.
This has already been given some
little attention by the farmers in the
vicinity of Kendrick, Troy and Julia
eta, Idaho, from which district in the
neighborhood of 100000 pounds were
shipped last year to Portland, Seattle,
not believed that the project has as
yet been given the attention necessary |
to produce the best results.
Some of the PalOuse land is con-
sidered too heavy for the growing of
some varieties of beans, but without
doubt the crop could be adapted to soil
conditions by the selection of varie-
ties and made more profitable.
1t is well adapted to being grown on
summer fallow, as it can be planted
late in the season with good assurance
of a successful crop, if proper selection
of land is made.
During the year 1906 there were pro-
duced in the state of California 1885,
ISL, ia pounds, representing a gross
value of $4,000, 94S.00. The principal
varieties grown in that state are Bayo
Tor brown beans), Black Eyes and
Lima The latter constitute about 80
per cent of the entire production. The
average yield per acre was about 1855
pounds, value f. o. b. shipping station
about $4,000 per ton.
The cost of blowing, narrowing,
seeding and harvesting is estimated at
S1400 per acre. One man and two
horses with a bean planter can put in
on an average of twelve acres per day
About 40 pounds of beans are required
to seed an acre, the average cost OF
which is $1.0O. The yield, estimated at
21h cents per pound, makes a gross
return per acre of 4S.9O-deducting
the cost of planting and harvesting,
leaves a net return of $34.90 per acre.
The net profit, therefore, on the 49,
600 acres under cultivation in that
state in 1906 was S4,571 10000.
After the beans are threshed, the
vines are dried and baled and bring
$500 per ton for cattle feed.
In 1906 the shipments by sea to for
eign ports from San Francisco
amounted to approximately 36,0000OC
pounds and from California by raj
22O 1897 pounds.
The white navy beans are quite ex
tensively grown in southern Michigan
Z and are shipped as far west as the
western portion of Montana. They are
planted in Michigan in the latter par
{ of April and in May and are harvested
( in September and October; they ar
S drilled with a twO-horse drill, simila
f to those used in drilling wheat. in row
about three and a half feet apart
leaving room for either a One-horse o
tWo-hOrse cultivatOr. They usually GU
tivate beans there from two TO fou
d times during the season, the success
of the crop depending largely upo
g the keeping them free from weeds.
The harvesting takes place durin
e September or early in October, and th
beans are cut by means of TWO hor
e zontal knives attached TO a tWo-hOrs
cultyator. The knives are set lo'
+ enough 10 cut the roots, leaving th
vines and beans undisturbed they an
Y then pitched or raked into wind row
and allowed 20 dry.
q They are fhreshed with an Ordinar
threshing machine and cleaned by
tanning mill equipped with a "bea
screen which separates the sma
, and imperfect beans from the perfe'
;, ones.
Is The crops in Michigan run frol
p twenty 40 thirtyiYe bushels per aon
Do and Sell for from 1925 to $500 p'
bushel the average value of th
IS crop there VIII run from f25oo
e 10000 por acre
Is There is iii|c more work io p
performed fhap NJ raising wheat pi
ID lne increased relulns arr more ina
enoueh t0 offset fhaf and ine aQ
y would he fIeaily honenfed because
/ ile growing 0f beams ile land ~ n'
depleted of M i9lllliy And " place
NJ ihe best oi condition ipr ihe sp
oossiul RrQNpg oi grain crops
lh0f ~ q Hlfe consumption
Il beans lu ihe aiaiea of NHsnlnflo
NJ lloRpu ldHNp. NpnlHnN. wyoming Ai
4 lho nakQHs Nhloh inr floNelf
Washington apd Idaho should nD an
\ NJ supp|} Nlh NV HdlapAf0 pl'
laIlQlplp Hnd Michigan plQaNf|l.
a polul. M q eleapH Ni|fli laif
10 4he ~ feslpy bhoF
= IA Al ftp00nd ihai nln 1000 M
Il IIrI. .0I IN. D.IIIIIrI Iu an DuUIII