208 THE BEAN CROP. 



drainage, which, if properly carried out, effectually relieves 

 the land from that excess of moisture which always acts 

 prejudicially to our "Farm Crops." 



The chemical conditions of the soil for beans are very 

 different from those required by wheat (see page 89) ; instead 

 of the silica required by that plant, we find beans need a 

 large supply of lime (page 240). This difference in the con- 

 stituents of the two plants has induced a classification of 

 our principal crops according to the prevailing chemical 

 features of their conditions ; hence the cereals and grasses 

 generally are termed "silicious crops;" the leguminous, as 

 beans, clover, vetches, &c., are termed "calcareous crops;" 

 and the fallow and root crops, as turnips, cabbage, potatoes, 

 &c., are termed "potash crops." Consequently, we find 

 that lime, although necessary in small proportions to all 

 fertile soils, is an important ingredient in all soils in 

 which beans or any other leguminous plant is to be 

 grown ; and if they do not naturally contain it, it must 

 be added to them from time to time in the usual manner. 



On light soils, such as are usually farmed on the Norfolk 

 (four-course) system, we see beans occasionally grown 

 the Winter Bean, for instance, occupying one-half of the 

 clover brake. The plant, however, never has the same 

 vigorous growth that it possesses in more congenial soils ; 

 and although the quality of the sample is generally very 

 good, the yield is very unsatisfactory. Neither are the 

 returns so satisfactory on the strong humous soils of Lin- 

 colnshire, the fen - lands of Huntingdonshire, and Cam- 

 bridgeshire. On these, however, the growth of the plant 

 is too vigorous, the stems and leaves are too ' luxuriant, 

 the organic portions of the food have been obtained and 

 elaborated too quickly, while the sap of the plant is so 

 largely diluted with water, that it has not been able to 

 build up the stem sufficiently strong to enable it to stand 

 against the action of the weather, wind, and rain, or to 



