100 AGRICULTURE. 



er. If this be hot and dry, the leaves, stems, and 

 ears are all diminutive ; if wet, the leaves and sterns 

 are abundant, but the ears deficient and often dis- 

 eased ; if both wet and cold, no ears are produced; 

 while, on the other hand, if it be moist and warm, 

 more particularly when the grain is flowering, the 

 crop will be excellent. To produce this combina- 

 tion is not within the reach of human industry. 

 All, therefore, that agricultural foresight can effect, 

 is to interpose a few days between the planting of 

 different parts of the crop, so as to multiply the 

 chances of favourable weather. 



IX. Of Beans. 



Of these there are several species, which, to oc- 

 cupiers of clay soils, are of the utmost importance, 

 because in them beans thrive best, while, at the 

 same time, they greatly ameliorate and fit them for 

 wheat and oat crops. The species most recom- 

 mended are the Heligoland,* or small horsebean 

 of England, and the white bean.f The former is 

 vigorous, hardy, and productive, and an excellent 

 food for cattle ; the latter is more delicate and nu- 

 tritive, and much employed as a food for man.J 



If beans are made to commence a course of 

 crops, as they may very properly do, they ought to 

 receive the dung of the year; which, as in the case 

 of potatoes, should be spread over the surface of 

 the field, and ploughed in without loss of time. The 

 moment the spring frosts are over, the planting 

 should take place, in rows or in hills, as described 

 in the last article for corn; and throughout the 



* The Heligoland, and other beans of the vicia family, are 

 not found to do well with us. They grow and blossom, but do 

 not fruit well. J. B. 



t This, as well as the China and other beans of the genus 

 Phareola, are profitably grown on sandy as well as on clay soils. 

 J. B. 



t Pythagoras forbade his disciples the use of beans. Whence 

 we may conclude that the Greeks cultivated only the horse- 

 bean, or bean of the marshes. 



