Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-23
MAKING MONEY WITH BEANS

Virginia farmers have learned this
year that there is money in beans, and
this will put to thinking about big
crops of them for next year. Beans
thrive best in rather warm sandy
loan, but may be grown on almost
any kind OF soil. For the best results
The soil should not be too rich in nitro
genous matter. or the plants Will run
to foliage and stems at the expense of
the crop of pods. Heavy clay soils
are not we'll adapted to bean culture.
owing to the tendency of the soil to
hakc and prevent the seedlings from
coming up cvealy. The bean does not
draw heavily upon the soil and is suit
able for rotation with other garden
crops.
Reans will not withstand frost, and
the first paintings In the spring are
frequently lost in this manner. 1: is
very little trouble, however, to make
a planting of beans. and the first
planting should be made as soon as
The ground is reasonably warm: this
10 be followed by a second and a third
planting at intervals OF about a week
or ten days. II sometimes happens tina,
the first planting will he killed by frost
and that the second will come through
the ground Immediately after the frost
and mature several days ahead of those
planted 10 replace tie ones that were
killed.
There arc several classes Of edible
beans. including both climbing and
bush sorts, all OF which are valua BILE
as foods and OF great commercial i'm
PoEtance. The various types and va :
fieties of beans are too numerous for
discussion here. and a few cultural
hints only will be given.
In the cultivation of beans the gen.
eral rules for the care of garden crops
should he adhered to. and frequent
shallow stirring of the soil practiced
For constant supply of bunch or
snap means successive paintings should
be made. the final planting being made
about eight weeks before time for
frost IN tn" autumn. In the South
paintings should be made al soon as
the ground Begin to warm. and con-
'inue until no: weather sets in. To-
ward tn" end OF summer one or two
paintings should be made for a fall
crop.
For the production Of bunch dry
beans such as Red Kidney. White Kid
ney. or White Marrow. paintings NAV
ne made almost any time during the
hrst nalf OF the summer This class
OF bean is generally planted as late
us possible 10 nave the crop ripen Just
hetore carly frost in the autumn
bunch beans are generally planted in
rows 80 inches apart. and the plants
allowed to stand singly 3 or 4 inches
apart or they are planted In hills Of
e" 10 plants. each II TO Is inches
apart. Good results may be obtained
from planting Kidney or Marrow beans
IN the cornne!d alongside the hills
after the corn has been cultivated once
or twice.
tole beans require 4 somewhat richer
sou than the bunch type and should
ne planted in hills by 4 or 4 by 4
ieet' and as the name implies. they re-
cure a pole or some similar support
rant inc seed during the early sum
mer. Several varieties of climbing hea
may be planted in the cornfield and al
loved 10 CLIMB upon the hills of corn
The old-fashioncd corn bean bc,ongs
20 this type.
Inc Lima bean. both pole and hush
forms one OF the most desirable prod
uclS OF the garden. This crop ,hriyeS
oest when the soil is quite rich. in
!"c'' good Lima beans can not be grown
IN poor soil. They should MOI hc
planted until the soil becomes thor
ouEh!y warm. Place the seed in hills
| or 10 TO the hill. and after the nI:,nts
becomc established thin to or 3, m.
| mis- should be or feet apart for
me pole varieties and or fee, anar,
Tor The dwarf or bunch varieties n
u 4 good plan 10 make up the Nil
win niue additional manure well
mixed with III" SOIL. Cover the hears
"pou' - inches placing them with
inc eye downward.
When planting beans of any kind
the seed should not be covered ~ -
greater depth than inch.s when
sol! is moderately dry. ana /, ,nn 90,
| rs "ct. the covering should hc 80.
slight ''S