THE GENESEE FARMER. 



177 



BEANS AS A FIELD CROP. 



Though our last crop of beans bronglit us only 

 82 cents per bushel, and the prospect is not flatter- 

 ing for any material increase another year, yet we 

 shall plant more than double the number of acres 

 this season, and believe we shall find it advanta- 

 geous to do so. "We -will not undertake to go into 

 any extended "reasons for the faith that is in us," 

 but shall rather remark on theu* management and 

 culture — a subject now receiving considerable at- 

 tention among Western New York farmers. 



The soil we have chosen, this year, is a gravelly 

 loam, rather light, and of medium fertility. It has 

 never been manured, and was last in wheat with 

 clover following. There is a good sward now, 

 mostly June grass, with but little clover. This we 

 shall turn under early in June, immediately before 

 planting. We regard the above as a favorable soil 

 and condition for beans. Wet land retards the 

 ripening and induces rust. Rich land produces a 

 large growth of vines without corresponding pro- 

 duct of fruit. Sward land is not apt to be weedy ; 

 and this is a consideration of importance. 



It is advisable to plant beans early in June, 

 though some varieties succeed tolerably when 

 planted later. After plowing, harrow down smooth 

 and fine. If a hand planter or hoes are to be used, 

 mark out the rows two and one-half feet apart, and 

 plant across, about fifteen inches apart in the rows. 

 Give five beans to the hill, and do not cover too 

 deeply — an inch and a half of mellow earth is suffi- 

 cient. When drilled in, the machine should be 

 regulated to drop single beans about two inches 

 apart — the rows the same distance as above. 



Taken in season, most of the culture can be per- 

 formed with the horse-hoe. If the land is full of 

 weeds, however, the hand-hoe will need to be faith- 

 fully employed. Beans pay well for clean culture, 

 as we have proved to our satisfaction, but they are 

 apt to need hoeing in the most hurrying time with 

 the farmer, unless care is taken to select a soil not 

 infested with weeds. It shoidd be remembered 

 that it is very injurious to work among them when 

 wet so that dirt will adhere to the leaves. 



Beans, to be profitable, must ripen evenly and 

 well, and be harvested and cured in good order. 

 Hence, we should plant early enough to guard 

 against autumn frosts, and that the whole crop 

 may ripen; for a few frosted beans mixed with the 

 rest, keep them damp, and injure their sale and 

 value. Wet weather, when the beans are fit to 

 pull, sometimes ruins the crop, and almost always 

 causes more or less waste and deterioration. Hence 

 particular care should be taken to harvest as soon 

 as ripe, and to thresh and dry thoroughly as soon 

 as the straw becomes fairly cured. 



In dry weather, the work of harvesting is simple 

 and easy. Pull and throw into small heaps or rows 

 to dry. The proper time to harvest is when aU the 

 pods turn yellow, and they should do this nearly 

 at the same time. If the season is rainy, the beans 

 must be housed at once, spreading them in the barn 

 on scaffolds, and in every available space, until 

 cured. Or they may be stacked in small stacks 

 around stakes in the field. Place straw under the 

 stack ; do not make it over two feet in diameter, 

 and with the roots in the center. So treated, they 

 will stand considerable raia. Ours cured well last 

 year in such stacks. 



The best variety, .as regard yield, early and even 

 ripening, and quality we have yet tried, is the 

 "medium" bean. The White Kidney does not 

 mature as early or ripen as evenly. The Moun- 

 tain Crmiberry we shall experiment upon the 

 present season. 



One reason why we shall continue the culture of 

 beans is that we may have the straw to feed our 

 shee]}. We believe that one feeding a day of beaa 

 straw, with others of oat straw and hay, will bring 

 sheep through the winter better than haj^ alone, 

 For two wuiters we have given it some trial, and 

 our flock kept in better condition on the food above 

 named than when we had only hay to give thein. 

 But we will not extend our remarks at greater 

 length, though the subject is far from becoming 

 exhausted. j. h. b. 



PASTTJEING SHEEP IN OECHAKDS. 



The effect of pasturing sheep in orchards, both 

 on the trees and the animals, is of some interest to 

 those who keep sheep and have orchards which it 

 is desirable to keep in grass rather than in other 

 crops. A good turf is so much nicer to pick and 

 sort apples upon, to speak of no other advantage, 

 that we would like to keep orchards always in 

 grass, could we do so profitably. Unless the trees 

 are altogether too high, one can not well pasture 

 horses or cows in an orchard ; and if we coidd, 

 these animals do not secure that close, clean sward, 

 desired. Sheep, too, are said to enrich the soil 

 upon which they feed, as well as to improve the land 

 by the destruction of coarse and noxious vegetation. 



But we will mention some results of the practice. 

 Some years since, in answer to our inquiry through 

 an agricultural journal, one farmer stated that he 

 had pastured an orchard with sheep for several 

 years. When he first turned them in, there was so 

 little growth that he could not cut a graft from the 

 orchard, there being no recent growth of sufficient 

 length and thrift to furnish scions. In three years 

 time the trees improved materially, making from a 

 foot to eighteen inches of new wood every year. 

 Another reported that sheep pastured in an orchard 

 for two or three years, made great improvement in 

 the fruit. Neither spoke of any injm-ious effect on 

 the flock. 



We have pastured sheep in an old orchard, more 

 or less, for two years past, and to its manifest im- 

 provement. The grass is better than before, and 

 the trees have a more thrifty look. As to the 

 flock, they have done better than usual. This we 

 attribute in part to changing them from pasture to 

 pasture, frequently, and to the liking they have for 

 their orchard pasture, especially in the hot season. 



Orchards often suffer from the want of grazing. 

 They gel overrun with weeds and briars, as they 

 will not when sheep ai*e kept in them a portion of 

 the time. 



When the fruit begins to fall in any amount, we 

 turn oft" the sheep and put on the pigs and calves. 

 These remain until the apj>les are about ripe ; then 

 the orchard is cleared entirely, until the fruit is 

 cared for. The sheep are afterward allowed to re- 

 turn, but not to remain to eat the grass down too 

 closely. We rather save a good bite over for spring 

 — or rather save it that the grass may be earlier 

 and better in spring. b. 



Niagara Co., X. Y., 2Iay, 1S53. 



