MARKETS AND MARKETING IOQ 



wide difference in the quality of beans, even granted 

 that they are properly grown and cured. Between 

 a very poor bean, which may be fair to look upon 

 and the choice product of Michigan, California, New 

 York or other states, there is considerable difference 

 in value as a food product. 



The growing of lima beans is a specialty in Cali- 

 fornia. In a good average year, and on good land, 

 the rate of yield is 1500 to 1600 pounds cured lima 

 beans to the acre. Occasional yields are double that, 

 but in such cases under unusual conditions when the 

 land has been especially well irrigated, or possesses 

 unusually favorable environment or productivity. 

 In shelling lima beans a thrashing machine is used, 

 somewhat similar to that in handling grain or in 

 shelling pea beans further east. After thrashing, 

 the beans are removed to warehouses and passed 

 through a cleaner equipped with screens for remov- 

 ing foreign substances such as pods, bits of sticks 

 gravel, etc. They are then sacked and are consid- 

 ered in good condition, justifying the name of re- 

 cleaned lima beans. Ordinarily no hand picking is 

 necessary. Nearly every year the beans are harvested 

 without rain falling on them, but when occasion- 

 ally caught by showers and damaged in the fields, 

 they are then hand picked to remove the stained 

 beans from the good ones. In marketing lima beans 

 each grower acts independently, selling to the best 

 bidder. Attempts have been made to market this 

 crop through the various co-operative agencies, but 

 so far without much success. Some seasons a 

 farmer will hold his crop if he considers the price 

 too low. What may be considered a normal price 

 to the farmer one year with another is 2 1 /2 to 3 cents 



