Cultivation of Arable Land. Beans, Difeafcsin. Hfai&-jtj Bllglit. 81 



termed Mendings ; but this is moftly an improper method, as plants of different 

 forts never ripen well or equally together. 



In fuch fummers as are dry, beans are frequently liable to be much injured; 

 by the attacks of the black fly, or what is often termed the do!pbin t the whole 

 field in particular cafes being in danger of being deftroyed in the couifc of a, 

 few days. In order to prevent this mifchief, it is the practice in fome places to 

 cut off the tops by means of a fey the or other lharp implement, as it is moltlv 

 on the tops of the plants that the infect firft appears.. When this method is 

 adopted, it mould be performed on the very firfl appearance of the fly, other- 

 wife little benefit can be produced; as perhaps by removing the firfl: infects that 

 iliew themfelves, their propagation may in fome degree be prevented. 



The blight likewife fometimes proves deftructive to the bean crops about 

 June or July, when the weather is hot and foggy in the day with cold nights. 

 Jn this cafe the bloflbms fall off, and no pods are formed. But though much 

 injury may often be done in this way, the crops fometimes turn out better than 

 was expected ; they fhould not therefore be given up too nattily. 



The ripening of the beans is (hewn by the pods or kids turning of a black co 

 lour, which moftly happens about the latter end of Auguft, after which they 

 begin to open at the ends : but they fhould always be cut or drawn up a week 

 or ten days before this would happen ; for though in fome parts of the crop the 

 kids may not be perfectly turned, this mould not delay the bufinefs, as they will 

 become ripe and hard after being cut or drawn up by the roots, by fetting the 

 fheaves upright, and leaving them expofed to the influence of the fun and air 

 for feven or eight days. When cut or drawn up fome time before they are in a 

 fuitable ftate of maturation, they fhrink and become wrinkled; and if it be 

 done when they are too ripe, they are liable to be loft by being ihed in the 

 field : it is a better practice, however, to reap them before they are fully ripe,, 

 than to let them (land until they are over-maturated. When they have be-- 

 come too much ripened, it is recommended to cut or draw them up while the 

 dew is upon them, and to convey them in the fame (late to the iiack. The 

 parts of the crop that are not fo perfectly ripened maybe cut or pulled during 

 the dry part of the day. 



When the feafon is moift, and the land of a good quality, bean crops conti-. 

 nue to proceed in their growth to a late period, and the pods formed on the 

 upper parts of the Items remain green when thofe on the lower parts are in a, 

 perfectly ripe ftate. In fuch cafes it is not neceffary to delay the bulinefs of re-, 

 moving the crop, as by their remaining a little longer in the field no injury vvilli, 



VOL. iz.. M 



