GARDEN CULTURE OF BEANS 167 



bean planting on moist interior lands is also a good practice, as it 

 gives the plant a growing season in the fall when the hot and dry 

 summer conditions are relaxed. 



The planting of beans in frostless situations in the fall for a 

 winter crop is, of course, a limited enterprise, and attended by con- 

 siderable risk, because never having^a frost, means hardly ever, and 

 yet good returns are often made in a few places already designated 

 in the chapters on climates and the planting season. 



The winter preparation for field planting on the light soils that 

 are mainly used for that purpose will do for the same soils and situa- 

 tions for garden growth, but where beans have to go upon rather 

 heavier soil in regions of heavier rains, it is necessary to give more 

 thorough spring cultivation to overcome the compacting of the soil 

 by the rain, and make it suitably mellow for the crop. For this 

 purpose, spring plowing twice, the second shallower than the first, 

 and good harrowing following the second plowing, are desirable. 

 All this work should be clone when the soil works freely, and only 

 then. 



In rainfall garden practice, where moisture is short, the land 

 should lie in shape for taking in water all during the earlier part 

 of the rainy season, and not be cropped nor left hard for the spring 

 working, but where moisture is ample, the land may carry first a 

 fall-planted crop of hardy vegetables for winter use, provided this 

 crop is cleared away by February and the land put into condition to 

 store up the spring rains for the use of the beans. This practice 

 depends upon the likelihood of the late rains being generous, and 

 the soil being retentive enough. 



Bush Beans. Varieties of this class are hardier than most 

 climbing beans and are safely planted earlier perhaps from one to 

 two weeks usually, but they should not be planted until the soil be- 

 comes warm and loses its excess of water. For hand-hoeing the 

 rows can be fifteen to eighteen inches apart, and for horse cultiva- 

 tion two feet. About four inches apart in the drill, and covered 

 from one to two inches, according to soil and season, is ordinary 

 practice. The plants can also be grown in hills. If the ground is in 

 good condition the seed can be planted before the lighter frosts of 

 spring are all over, and by slight covering they can be carried 

 through. The bush varieties will endure more cold and more heat 

 than the climbing sorts, but any considerable planting should wait 

 until the frost danger for the locality is over. Later plantings 



