40 VEGETABLE GROWING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 



Kidney or French Beans. 



The seed should be planted in rows 3 feet apart, and from 3 to 6 inches 

 apart in the rows, according to the quality of the land, the thicker sowing 

 being made in the richer soils. They should be covered to a depth of 

 2 inches. The usual practice is to strike out shallow drills with a plough, 

 and then to drop the seed by hand at the intervals named. The covering 

 can then be done with an ordinary light harrow, Some growers have had a 

 special plate made to fit the maize planter, and sow their seed in that way. 

 The plate requires to be a very thick one in order to save the grains from 

 being cracked. Under ordinary conditions, from J bushel to 1 bushel of seed 

 is required per acre. Seed may also be sown with the -hand seed sower. 



Low-lying situations planted to beans require attention as regards drainage. 

 If this is neglected, the plants become yellow in colour in wet periods or 

 seasons. The cultivator should be used as often as possible, until the plants 

 are tall enough to be hilled with the plough. If the weather is dry, or a 

 heavy downpour of rain pomes, the cultivator can again be used to advantage, 

 breaking the crust, and also checking any weeds that might spring up after rain. 



On land that does not answer to the description " low-lying," the culti- 

 vation can be confined to intertillage between the rows with a cultivator of 

 an ordinary type. 



In frost-free situations such as are met with in our coastal districts, 

 sowings cam be made during the winter months, whilst on the Tablelands it 

 would be t risky to plant before the end of October. 



Successive sowings can be made until just sufficient time is allowed to 

 enable the crop to mature early enough to miss the first frosts of autumn. 



Harvesting must commence as soon as the pods are of sufficient size, and 

 should continue at frequent intervals. If they are allowed to become too 

 ripe, not only is that particular picking spoiled, but the cropping power 

 of the plant is considerably reduced. The pods are usually forwarded to 

 market in full chaff bags, and delivery must be effected as quickly as possible, 

 in order that the produce may reach the market quite fresh. 



There are many varieties of exceptional merit, which may be divided in 

 three classes, as follow : 



Stringkss. String. Butter. 



Bountiful. Canadian Wonder. Brittle Wax. 



Stringless Green Pod. Early Refugee. Kidney Wax. 



Byer. Pencil Podded Wax. 



Startler Wax. 

 Runner Beans. 



This class of bean is grown under similar climatic and soil conditions to 

 the French bean, though not on such an extensive scale. It is usually sown 

 in rows and staked, and in gardens it is very useful in covering fences, 

 thus occupying the minimum of space. As a support for these tall varieties, 

 wire-netting is often stretched on posts erected along the rows, with a strand 

 of plain wire to prevent sagging. 



