194 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES. 



tions. A rain after planting is counted a detriment, for 

 if the temperature of the soil falls too low the seed is apt 

 to rot. Besides a shower means more weeds, and some 

 large growers count it cheaper to plow up the field and 

 replant than to clean out the weeds in the rows. Small 

 growers, however, usually undertake the hoeing rather 

 than sacrifice the plant if the stand is a good one. 



Manner of Planting. All commercial crops of beans, 

 whether of bush or running varieties, are grown in rows. 

 The planting is done with machines of different makes 

 and sizes, though usually planting from two to four rows 

 at a time. Depth is determined by the character of the 

 soil and the season. The bean must be placed in moist 

 soil, and if the surface is light and prone to dry out 

 quickly, the greater depth is given, but the bean does not 

 endure as deep covering as some other large seed. In a 

 moist surface an inch will do, but in very light surfaces 

 two inches is better. In some cases even a little more is 

 desirable. It must be remembered that a few days' 

 moisture must be assured to the seed to allow it to take 

 hold of the soil. 



In light soils liable to strong winds, the planter should 

 run at right angles to the course of the wind, for it has 

 been observed that the sand is more easily shifted when 

 the wind has the lengthwise course of the drills. 



Distance is dependent upon the variety. Lima beans are 

 usually placed in rows about forty inches apart, with the 

 planter rigged- to drop seed at an average of about ten 

 inches apart, in the row. Small beans of various kinds are 

 given two to two and one-half feet between the rows, and 

 about four inches distance in the row. 



Cultivation. Frequent cultivation with knife-shaped 

 teeth is practiced in the best bean soils, to kill the weeds 

 and loosen the surface, until the running varieties cover 

 the space so that they are injured by cultivation. The 

 vines then cover the ground and check evaporition and the 

 crop is left to its own course. With bush varieties longer 

 and deeper cultivation is desirable, at least if the ground 



