114 BEAN CULTURE 



covering the crop of 1899, and must be regarded as 

 approximately accurate. Comparing these figures 

 with those of the preceding decennial census cover- 

 ing the crop of 1889, it will be shown that the pro- 

 duction of beans in Michigan increased three fold 

 in the 10 years. In New York, the gain was about 

 20 per cent. California showed an apparent decrease 

 but the 1899 crop was not a normal one in rate of yield, 

 and therefore the figures are no criterion as to the 

 large outturn of that great state. The difficulties of 

 comparison one decennial period with another, are 

 shown in some other states. For example : Maine 

 indicates a slightly smaller yield, but this may have 

 been due to temporary conditions rather than ten- 

 dency to devote less land to this crop. The census 

 figures are not very clear relative to the production 

 of dry or field beans in the South. The data com- 

 piled and printed relate very largely to green beans, 

 marketed in the spring in crates or baskets, al- 

 though some attention is given to the crop treated 

 in this book. 



LEADING STATES PRODUCING BEANS 



The figures are in round millions and tenths of 



millions of bushels, and are taken from the federal 



census returns. 



Bushels 

 District 1900 1890 1880 1870 



U. S 5-1 3-2 3-1 5-7 



Mich 1.8 0.4 0.2 0.3 



N. Y 1.4 I.I 1.3 II 



Cal 0.7 0.7 0.4 0.4 



Me 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 



Wis 0.1 0.1 0.1 — 



