The Delta independent., 1925-03-20
AGRICULTURAL NOTES
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CBy ]. F. Fonder.)

Double Value from Growing Beans.
In the last few years the import
ance Of beans as n crop has increas-
Ted to a great extent in Colorado.
Beans have been grown for a long
period Of time in the southwest and
also in the southeast But they are
peculiarly adapted to arid regions and
so are destined to become Of more
importance in Colorado than they
have up to the present. They are
we'll adapted to both dry and irriga-
tion farming and may be found to fill
need in nearly every part OF the
state The industry over Colorado is
confined pretty largely to the pro
duction OF bean seed. but in Delta
county the farmers have another out
let in the 'canniug industry which
will take their beans in a Green con-
dition.
Beans which are harvested for a
canning factory are more valuable in
rotation than those grown for seed.
Beans belong TO the family ot legum-
es and 80 viii ill about the same
place in a rotation that alfalfa does.
When grown for seed. or that is,
harvested dry. they put but little nit,
rogen into the soil for the reason
that most Of the plant is removed
from the soil They are cut few
inches under the soil and then are
punched and threshed and the vines
used for hay. in the case OF beans
rfown for canning, the beans are re-
moved from the vines left standing
n the vines are then disked down in
the fall and plowcd under they return
large quantity OF nitrogen to the
soil and are .CorrespondinEly valuable
/ in maintaining the productivity OF the
soil In fact in this manner they are
very good green manure crop. No
I farmer can ignore the value OF a
green manure crop as high I'm nitro
zen content MS IS the bean. or course
the vines can he cut for hay after the
beans have been gathered just the
same as is possible where they are
grown for seed. If lt IS desired TO do
80. In case this is done tho manure
should he added 10 the soil to re-
place a part Of the fertility taken
out
4 loEumc crop must form an inn
portant part Of any successful crop ro-
tution. The crop that Is generally
grown to fill this place is alfalfa.
But alfalfa must be grown for five or
| six years after IL Is once seeded down.
whereas beans are n one year crop
and SO do not make the rotation so
/ long as In the case Of alfalfa. Then
too. beans are a cash trop and In this
region alfalfa is seldom raised as
such The small grains, potatoes or
heets will work In nicely after a crop
Of beans In Delta county very cN-
/ celleut Yields can he obtained In the
growth Of beans Under irrigation e
Is possible to very nearly control the
amount Of moisture the plants OBJ
tain, and this IA important in obtain
ing good yields Experiments have
shown that two good irriEations are
more effective than more, provided
the two are applied at the time they
are needed by the crop,
Beams can be used very effectively
In field where Il Is desired to
eradicate weeds They are OF ne
cessity cultivated and in addition
should be hood This viii give an op.
portunlty Of getting rid Of weeds
that would bo>a great do,riment II
small grains or alfalfa were planted.
The bean plant is very susceptible
TO disease and precautions must be
taken to prevent aoss from that