The Glenwood post., 1916-03-18
BEANS AN IMPORTANT
CROP FOR 1916
(By w. II. Olin.

The writer has received reliable in.
formation that the demand for beans
for export during the past eighteen
months has absorbed all beans obtain
able, from one end of this country to
the other. Even the normal demand
for beans for the next twelve months
cannot be supplied, and the added call,
occasioned by the European war, will
tend to make the demand even strong
er.
This is the year when a farmer with
to plant his crop. Beans contain as
much protein as meat and because of
their low cost, palatability and high
food value, they have become an i'm
portant article of daily diet for the
soldier at the front, for the prisoner
in confinement, among all nations and
it is impossible to overestimate their
present export value.
Today, wholesale dealers are Offering
$4.00 and $500 hundred, in carlots,
for beans. Our annual supply in the
United States is from five to seven
million bushels only. This is hardly
enough to supply home consumption, to
say nothing of the present enlarged ex-
Fort demand. The great majority Of
the beans of the nation are grown IN
Michigan, New York, California, while
Maine, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Iowa, Florida, Virginia and West Vir-
ginia are important bean growing
states.
The average yield taken by the U.
s. crop statistics department is 900
pounds to the acre. Under irrigation,
in Colorado, as high as 1000 to $500
pounds per acre have been obtained.
A person who will cultivate his beans
as he would his corn, planted on any
thing like reasonably good soil, should
be able to obtain from 900 to 1,200
pounds per acre. The market will JUS
tify him counting on obtaining better
than 4c per pound, or $500 hundred.
This crop should not be planted until
all danger of frost has passed and
great care needs to be given to irriga-
tion of the crop. Consult your county
agent or the state college crop man,
in reference to both proper cultural
methods and irrigation for this crop.
Choose that type which your local seed
dealer or the special crop man Of the
college Recommends is best adapted to
your locality and local market.
The principal thing is, plan first Of
all to plant at least few acres as one
side line cash crop. Second, plant in
rows sufficiently wide for use Of a
horse cultivator. Third, keep the crop
growing vigorously from the start.
Fourth, harvest in the irrigated section
early in the morning, before the in
tense rays of the sun render the pods
so dry that the beans shell badly. DO
not harvest in the field during the
heat of the day. The crop should be
allowed to come to full maturity, TO
prevent any shrinkage of the bean.
Mexican beans, the Martha Washing
ton Ia type of small navy bean) and
the kidney bean, seem to be western
favorites. ....
The amount of seed required TO
plant an acre, varies with the variety,
from 40 to rs pounds. Probably the
best harvest returns have been OBJ
tanned when beans were planted in
drills rather than hills. For this, an
average grain seeder can be used for
planting, stopping up as many seed
tubes in the grain seeder as you find
necessary to give the average width
for successful cultivation.
The seed should be planted medium
shallow, with just enough dirt to cover
to give moist seed bed and insure
quick termination. One Of the re-
quirements of . good bean crop is
quick, sturdy termination, producing a
good stand.
The writer believes that beans can
be successfully cultivated and irrigate
In rows 80 inches apart.
It is to be hoped that in small orch
ards where trees have not yet come
into bearing, ground can be occupied
between rows with this crop, without
injury to the trees and with profit 10
the grower.
Let us consider few acres Of beans
for our farm crop plans for 1915.