76 HOW TO PLANT. 



in a bale as practicable ; never under 300 pounds, ii pos- 

 sible to avoid it. Cotton is easily harvested, easily pre- 

 served ; no danger of its spoiling in any way. It meets 

 with a ready sale, and never fails to bring in the cash.- 



CASTOB BEANS. 



The fruit, or pods, are borne in large pyramidal clus- 

 ters ; if left upon the plant until quite ripe, the pods 

 will burst open and scatter the seeds, which, by' the 

 elasticity of the pods, are thrown to a great distance, and 

 lost. The pods ripen unequally upon the clusters, and 

 these mature in succession upon the plant. As soon as 

 the pods upon the lower, or broad end of the clusters 

 turn brown the harvesting should begin. The clusters 

 are cut, thrown into a wagon and taken to the " popping 

 pen." This is a piece of firm ground, enclosed by a high 

 board fence ; the clusters of pods are spread on the 

 ground, and as the pods ripen they throw out the seeds. 

 When all the pods likely to do so have popped, the refuse 

 is removed and the beans swept up and bagged, in strong, 

 one or two bushel bags for market. 



BUCKWHEAT, BARLEY, OATS, EYE AND WHEAT. 



These grains are all harvested in pretty much the 

 same manner, but as soon as the heads assume a yellowish 

 color, tie in convenient bundles, set up into shocks of 

 about twelve bundles including the cap. Do this in a 

 substantial manner, so that the shocks will not fall down, 

 and place the caps on in such a way as to protect the 

 grain from the rains and heavy dews. After three or 

 more weeks of good warm. weather, the grain becomes 

 cured and is ready to thresh. Store in some good dry 

 place in not too great a bulk, or sell it in your nearest 

 market. Buckwheat is not worth planting for the seed 

 in the Cotton States, but it is very valuable as a bee pas- 

 ture and as a soil renovator. 



