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Culture Methods. The bean is a relatively deep rooted plant, hence deep 

 preparation of the soil is an important factor in the production of the crop. 

 The land is plowed from six to eight or more inches deep as early in the 

 autumn as is rendered possible by the rains. The land is left with rough, 

 untreated surface during the winter months in order to impound as much of 

 the winter rains as possible. During February and March, when most of the 

 rains are over, the surface is worked a number of times to smooth it down, 

 to kill early germinating weeds and to prepare the surface for the conservation 

 of the stored moisture and for the planting of the seed. The work that has 

 been expended upon the land up to this time comprises the major portion of 

 the culture that the crop will receive, and this is very important, for thorough 

 preparation in bean culture is more than half the labor insuring a crop. In 

 Lima bean culture this thorough preparation is all the more necessary because 

 little or no rain falls in the regions mentioned between the planting and the 

 harvesting of the crop. 



Planting is usually best accomplished during the earlier days of May. By 

 this time the soil has become warm and the free water has distributed itself 

 through the soil. If beans are planted in cold, wet soil they will rot, or at 

 best the plants will be non-uniform and retarded in their growth. From forty 

 to sixty pounds of seed are used per acre, according to the size (the variety) 

 of the seed and the physical condition and the strength of the soil. With 

 optimum physical condition and moisture content, less seed is required, for 

 the fewer plants will cover the ground better and yield more. The rows are 

 arranged from thirty to thirty-six inches apart and the beans are planted and 

 thinned so as to stand eight to twelve inches apart in the row. On the stronger 

 and moister soils the wider distances are given. Two inches is about the 

 right depth of planting. 



During the growing season the crop is given several shallow cultivations 

 until the vines cover the ground, and during this period also one or two 

 irrigations are given, unless through excellent preparation of the soil or 

 abundant winter rains the growing crop does not need the moisture. On 

 account of the absence of rainfall during the growing season Lima beans in 

 California do not have to be staked. 



Lima beans ripen from August 25th to September 25th. When the pods 

 have matured and begun to turn yellow, the vines are cut just beneath the 

 surface of the soil and are afterwards thrown into small piles for ripening and 

 curing. In cutting, from five to six acres per day is considered a day's work, 

 while in piling a man will accomplish from three to four acres. 



Threshing is usually accomplished by itinerant companies putting up from 

 1000 to 2500 sacks per day. The charge is from twenty to thirty-five cents 

 per sack, according to location or accessibility. 



The yield of Lima beans may range from ten to twenty-five sacks (80 Ibs. 

 each) per acre. The average is about fourteen sacks. The farmer's selling 

 price ranges from four to six cents per pound. The cost of production ranges 

 from eighteen to twenty-five dollars per acre. On the basis of net returns 

 Lima bean land is worth from $250 to $500 per acre. 



This crop is produced on farms of all sizes, from small areas of five and 

 ten acres to large estates operated by corporations. The implements of culture 

 and production are not expensive. When land is rented the tenant usually 

 furnishes everything and retains two-thirds of the crop. 



