Ri'ral School Leaflet 1039 



cultural directions 

 Albert E. Wilkinson 



For general directions regarding planning, fitting ground, sowing, and 

 care of garden, see page 994. 



Beans. — Beans thrive best in a warm sandy loam. Soils rich in nitrogen 

 are not best suited to the profitable growing of this crop, owing to the 

 fact that the plants will have a tendency to produce too much leaf 

 and stem growth at the expense of the crop of pods. The bean is well 

 suited for rotation with other garden vegetables, as it does not exhaust 

 the soil of plant-food. Beans in heavy clay do not give satisfaction, as 

 the soil after a rain forms a crust that may prevent the seedlings from 

 coming up evenly. 



Beans are tender plants and will not withstand a frost; therefore do 

 not plant them until the soil is thoroughly warm. 



Beans may be divided into two classes: pole beans, or those that require 

 support; and bush beans, or those having a bush-like growth. In this 

 garden contest only the bush beans will be considered. 



Bush beans may be planted in rows eighteen inches apart if hand tillage 

 is to be given. The seed should be covered not more than one inch deep. 

 The plants in the row should be two to three inches apart. They may, 

 however, be planted in hills, that is, three to five plants clustered to- 

 gether, with the clusters twelve to fifteen inches apart in the row. 



Frequent shallow stirring of the soil is required, thereby destroying all 

 weeds and maintaining a loose soil surface, called a mulch, to keep, or 

 conserve, the moisture in the soil. 



Beans should be picked only when the bushes and pods are dry. If 

 picked when plants are wet, disease may set in, making the future pods 

 undesirable. 



For exhibition purposes, show only the best specimens as to shape and 

 color, and those that are uniform in size. 



Beets. — See page 997. 



Cabbage. — See page 997. 



Carrots. — See page 997. 



Com, sweet. — See page 998. 



Cucumbers. — See page 998. 



Lettuce. — Most varieties of lettuce thrive best during the early spring 

 or late autumn. However, the cos, or summer lettuce, is an exception. 



A rich sandy loam full of organic matter, such as rotted stable manure, 

 is the best soil for lettuce. 



Plant the seed one half inch deep in rows twelve to fifteen inches apart. 

 Thin the plants so that they stand ten to twelve inches apart in the row. 



