BE A 



BEA 



19 



heaped round the borders of the 

 puddle, that it may be dry. For 

 there will be no fermentation 

 where there is too much wetness : 

 The materials will not dissolve, 

 but turn sour. As these heaps 

 grow dry, the water should be 

 scooped up, and thrown upon them 

 from time to time. This will in- 

 crease the fermentation in the 

 heaps, and they will grow mellow 

 the faster. It will be of service to 

 shovel the whole of the manure 

 into heaps, a few days before it is 

 carted out, as it will bring on a 

 brisk fermentation, and make it 

 fitter to be laid upon the land. Or 

 if shovelling be thought too labori- 

 ous, turning it up with a plough 

 will be advantageous. Or if there 

 be not a deep layer, tearing it 

 with a harrow may be sufficient. 



Some modern agriculturists of 

 eminence, with Sir Humphrey Da- 

 vy, are of opinion, that unfermented 

 manure is most profitable. If so, 

 manure in a yard need not be stir 

 red unless it be necessary to pre- 

 vent fermentation, or what is call- 

 ed the dry rot. The best part of 

 the manure it is said is dissipated, 

 and goes off in gas, during fermen- 

 tation. See Dung, Manure, and 

 IStercorary. 



BEANS. The following mode 

 of planting beans has been recom- 

 mended by an English writer. 

 The rows are marked out one foot 

 asunder, and the seed planted in 

 holes two inches apart : the lines 

 are stretched across the lands, 

 which are formed about six feet 

 over,so that when one row is plant- 

 ed, the sticks to which the line is 

 fastened, are moved by a regular 



measurement to the distance re- 

 quired, and the same method pur- 

 sued till the field is completed. — 

 The usual price for this work is 

 dd, sterling per week, and the al- 

 lowance two bushels per acre. 



Sir John Sinclair, in "The Code 

 of Agriculture" recommends cut- 

 ting the tops of beans in order to 

 accelerate their podding. This 

 eminent writer states that "it was 

 begun about the year 1804, and 

 has already been tried on more 

 than 200 acres. The operation is 

 performed by means of a sharp 

 edged instrument or knife, 12 or 

 14 inches long exclusive of the 

 handle ; but it may be done by a 

 sickle or reaping hook. The ex- 

 pense has never exceeded 3s. per 

 acre, and it is done by contract. — 

 At a certain stage of its growth the 

 head of the bean stalk does not 

 seem essential to the purpose of 

 vegetation, but by its luxuriance to 

 exhaust the strength of the plant. 

 The proper time to cut them off is 

 when the first blossoms begin to 

 drop : if done sooner, a fresh shoot 

 will put forth. As soon as the 

 tops are cut off, the pods rapidly 

 increase in size, and the period of 

 ripening is accelerated. The time- 

 ly removal of these parts, where 

 the insects chiefly lodge, material- 

 ly contributes to the health and 

 vigour of the plant, and probably 

 increases the weight of the crop. 

 The harvest is by this means ad- 

 vanced at least a fortnight. In 

 the ordinary mode of managing a 

 bean crop, their tops are green 

 when reaped, consequently they 

 absorb and retain moisture, and 

 require a considerable exposure in 



