Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1912-04-05


are given below
The necessary conditions for sue
cessful bean growing are CD free
dom from late spring and early fall
frosts, and On 20 or more inches of
rainfall
Preparation of the Soil.
In order to obtain the best results
the preparation of the soil for beans
should have begun last fall as soon
as the previous crop was harvested.
Ground covered with stubble should
! have been cut with a sharp disk har-
row and the stubble thoroughly
worked into the surface soil The
straw is thus covered better by the
| pillow and is distributed through the
| soil more evenly than when turned
under while standing. Because of its
even distribution in the soil the
stubble decays more quickly and also
prevents the ground from packing.
The humus formed by the decaying
vegetable matter increases the por
osity of the soil and thus facilitates
the percolation of the water into the
ground, The decaying stubble in
creases the water-holding capacity of
the soil. This gives a larger supply
of moisture for the plants to feed
upon during the growing season.
Land that is to raise beans the fol-
lowing year should be plowed six or
seven inches deep in the fall before
freezing weather. The fall blowing
gives the winters moisture an excel
lent chance to sink deeply into the
ground instead of being lost as sur
face run-off The soil is loose and
porous after fall blowing and does
not freeze as hard or as deep as COM
pacted soil. 1t thaws out earlier in
spring and is in condition to catch
and retain the spring snow and rain
water. Cultivation should begin as
early in the spring as the ground is
dry enough in order to conserve the
moisture and to kill as many weeds
as possible before planting tine The
winter rains and SHOWS usually firm
the soil enough to re-establish capil-
larity with the under soil, thus MAX
ing artificial packing unnecessary.
When it is impossible to pillow the
ground during the fall or early win
ter, spring blowing is sometimes prac-
ticed. The land should be disked the
previous fall in order to put it in
shape to catch and retain the winter S
precipitation and to work the stubble
into the surface soil When it is i'm
possible to disk in the fall, the disk
ing should be done in the latter part
of the winter or in the early spring
as soon as the ground is dry enough
to work. Evaporation is thus
checked and weed seed caused to
terminate before blowing is COM
menced. The pillow should be follow
ed closely and thoroughly with the
drag harrow. A sub-surface packer
is often used to firm the soil and to
re-establish capillarity. Whether the
blowing is done in the fall or in the
early spring the land must be Guilt
waited a number of times before plant
ing in order to destroy all the weeds
possible, The blowing must never be
neglected until late in the spring for
the ground then breaks up in hard
clods and much extra labor is neces-
sary in order to put the soil into
condition for seeding. Ground that
has been plowed late in the spring
is often in such poor condition that
the seeds terminate unevenly. This
means an uneven stand, which always
results in a loss to the grower. as il
greatly decreases the yield. In dis
tricts where beans are now grown the
time of planting varies from May 10
to June 3, as the season Is early or
late. Planting is postponed until the
ground is warm enough to cause the
beans to terminate quickly and until
danger of late spring frosts is over.
When planted too early, the cold
weather, together with an excessive
| amount of Ynoicturo IN fbo coll oe4.