BEANS AND PEAS 55 



be present, but in soils where few nodules develop upon 

 the bean roots it will be worth while to experiment with 

 inoculation by means of special cultures. This abihty 

 of the bean to fix free nitrogen should be taken in con- 

 sideration when planning for fertilizers. A loamy soil 

 with a fair amount of humus is likely to require only 

 potash and phosphoric acid for the growth of beans. The 

 crop thrives on a clover sod plowed and put in good tilth. 

 A soil too rich in nitrogen is likely to produce vines 

 rather than seeds. In garden culture, however, it is 

 sometimes worth while to hasten the early growth by 

 a Httle nitrate of soda or similar fertilizer. 



Beans being of tropical origin are essentially warm- 

 weather crops. They are tender to frost and the seed 

 rots in cold, wet soil. Consequently planting should be 

 delayed until the soil is well warmed and the danger 

 from frost is past. Lima Beans require more tim.e to 

 mature than the ordinary sorts and so should be given 

 the sunniest location, especially in northern regions. 



Enemies 



Anthracnose, Pod-spot, or Rust as it is variously known 

 is the most destructive fungous disease of the Bean. It 

 shows on the young pods in the shape of small reddish 

 brown spots that soon increase in size and become 

 blackish in the center. The pod shrinks and the young 

 beans inside often shrivel up so as to be of little value. 

 The disease is most destructive in wet seasons and 

 its spores are easily distributed if the vines are hoed 

 or cultivated when they are wet. Consequently they 

 should be tilled only when dry. The spores winter 

 over on the diseased seeds, which start the infection the 



