138 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



the common pea. It requires a dry medium soil and is well 

 suited to clays. 



THE BEAN (Phaseolus vulgaris.) 



The bean is often a field crop in this country and espe- 

 cially in the northern and middle states. It is principally 

 used either green or dry for the table. It is a palatable and 

 highly condensed food, containing much in a small com- 

 pass. In proportion to its weight, it gives more nutriment 

 than any of the ordinary vegetables ; according to Einhof, 

 yielding 84 per cent, of nutritive matter while wheat gives 

 only 74. It has in common with the pea, vetch, &c., though 

 in a greater proportion, a peculiar principle termed legwnin 

 which is analogous to casein, the animal principle in milk, 

 which is convertible into cheese, and in its nutritive proper- 

 ties it is essentially the same as the fibrin of lean meat, the 

 albumen of eggs and other animal matters. There is no 

 vegetable we produce so fitted to supply the place of animal 

 food as the bean. 



SOIL. The bean is partial to a quick dry soil, too great 

 strength or fresh manuring giving a large quantity of vine 

 without a corresponding quantity of fruit. 



CULTIVATION. The land should be finely pulverized and 

 if at all inclined to wet it should be ridged. Beans are ten- 

 der plants and will not bear the slightest frost, and as they 

 grow rapidly, they will be sure to ripen if planted when 

 this is no longer to be apprehended. The seed is exposed 

 to rot if put into the ground in a cold wet time, and the 

 land should therefore be previously well warmed by the sun. 

 The bush beans are the only kind used for field planting, 

 and of these there are several sub-varieties. The long gar- 

 den beans, white, red or mottled, are great bearers, of fine 

 quality and early maturing. Early ripening is important, 

 when other crops are to succeed the same season. They 

 are usually planted in hills about two feet apart, and also in 

 drills covered two inches with fine earth. They have been 

 sown broadcast on clean dry soils and produced largely. 

 When planted in drills, from five to eight plants should be 

 left in each according to their proximity, or if in drills they 

 need about 1 J bushels of seed to the acre. 



HARVESTING. When the beans are fully formed and 

 there is any danger of frost, they should be at once securea, 



