73 Cultivation of Arable Land. Beans. #ft 



wet and ftrong grounds it is frequently a difficult and troubleforne procefs : it is 

 therefore probably a better method to dibble them in upon the feed earth, efpe- 

 cially in breaking them tip from a ley, as where they have been previoufly 

 ploughed, early tillage in the fpring, however neceflary, is jmpoffible, it being 

 only capable of being accomplifhed on a ley. In thefe cafes a row may be put 

 in by the dibble on every fccond furrow, by which they will be equidiftant 

 eighteen inches : or by dibbling two furrows together and miffing one they will 

 be in double rows at nine inches, with intervals of eighteen, which is equal to 

 one row at every thirteen and a half inches.* 



It is the cuftom in Norfolk to dibble beans in the fame manner as the peafc, 

 &c. except that they never fet more than one hole on a flag. The plants are 

 perhaps eight inches afunder, but are rarely buried above an inch. They turn 

 Iheep in when the beans are two or three inches high, to crop any grafs which 

 may have got up between the furrows. Sheep do not eat the beans, or in any 

 degree injure them. With this mode of management they can grow from ten 

 to fourteen coombs an acre. They always hand-hoe beans twice and fometimes 

 thrice. Where the ground is very ftiff and hard, they harrow once or twice in 

 a place before they dibble. 



After-culture. Where the broadcaft method of putting in the crop prevails, 

 little or no advantage can be afforded to it afterwards, which is a circumflance 

 that renders that practice improper in inoft cafes, as few crops derive more 

 benefit from after-management than thofe of beans. In fome inftances, indeed, 

 the large weeds are removed by a hoe or hook, and in others fheep have been 

 turned in for the fame purpofe, as from their diflike to the bean plant they 

 are faid not to injure the crop either by eating the young plants or breaking 

 them off.f The practice is however too hazardous to be attempted except in 

 particular cafes. But where the crop is planted in rows, either by the drill, dib 

 ble, or other methods, the ground admits of being frequently ftirred and laid to 

 the roots of the plants by the hand or horfe hoe, and of being kept perfectly 

 clean by weeding ; upon the proper performance of all which the perfection of 

 the bean hufbandry confifts. 



It has indeed been well obferved by a correct and attentive cultivator, that 

 thefe different operations are abfolutely effential, and that where a wheat crop 



* Young s Corrected Report of Lincolnfhire. 



f Mufeeum Rutticum, vol. III. ; Synopfis of Hufbandry ; and Modern Agriculture, 



