148 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



BEANS, COM, TOMATOES, LETTUCE AND SPINACH AS 

 MARKET-GAIIDEN CEOPS.^ 



BY HENRY M. HOWARD, DIX FARM, WEST NEWTON, MASS. 



Under this title the crops of beans, corn, tomatoes, lettuce and 

 spinach will be considered, with brief remarks on how to have them 

 in good condition for market during the whole season of possible 

 outdoor growing. 



Beans. 



As a market-garden crop beans are raised to sell green, either as 

 string beans or shell beans. For the earliest planting select well- 

 drained, light soil, and manure liborally in the row, using- about 10 

 cords of well-rotted manure to the acre. Cover the manure in with 

 a smoothing drag or harrow, and sow the beans by hand or machine, 

 so that they will stand six beans to a running foot of row. Cover 

 the beans not over 1 inch deep. Have the rows 2^^ feet apart. Sow 

 the beans every few days from April 8 to May 1, and sow agaia 

 May 15, and once a week thereafter until August 1. Do not figure 

 on getting a profitable crop from anything sown after August 4. 

 For all sowings of beans after May 1 the broadcasting of manure 

 will be advisable and heavier ground may be used. 



Beans will increase in jdeld immensely, almost double, when irri- 

 gated pi'operly. The vines when young will ordinarily get all the 

 moisture neeessai-y, up to podding time, from the rainfall. It is at 

 podding time that water can be used to best advantage. 



The earliest crops of beans will make from 100 to 150 bushels per 

 acre, and sell for something like $200. The later ci-ops of beans 

 ■will produce more bushels, and often bring in fully as much money. 



If proper succession plantings are made you may have beans to 

 sell from July 1 to October 1. 



Good varieties to plant are Red or Black Valentine for the round- 

 pod and Bountiful or Long Yellow Six Weeks for the flat-pod green 

 sorts. The Wardwells Kidney Wax is the most popular wax variety. 

 Of the varieties used for green shell beans the Red Pod Horticul- 

 tural of some strain will be found most satisfactory. Try to find 

 some strain which has done well in your vicinity and plant that. The 



I Crop RoDort for August, 1911. 



