GARDEN BEANS 139 



taking advantage of that part of the season best suited to its growth. 

 The statement just made in regard to the adaptability of this 

 crop to various soils may be proved by studying the types of soils 

 upon which it is successfully grown from southern Florida to 

 Maine. The sandy soils of Florida, the sandy loams of the Caro- 

 linas, the Norfolk sandy loam, gravelly loams, and the clay loams 

 of the states north of New Jersey all produce satisfactory crops of 

 garden beans when care in the selection of varieties and in the use 

 of fertilizers is exercised. In general it may be said that either cli- 

 mate or season is as great a factor as the soil in determining the 

 yield and profit from the cultivation of garden beans. 



Preparation of the soil for garden beans. The bean is a hoe 

 crop, and for this reason demands a soil free from obstructions 

 one which is quick and responsive and contains an abundance of 

 available plant food. The preparation should be such as will enable 

 seeds to germinate quickly ; that is, the soil should be so fined that 

 when the seeds are planted they will come closely in contact with 

 it and thus germinate quickly. Mechanically the soil should be 

 fine, retentive of moisture, and capable of being compacted, yet 

 light enough to permit cultivation immediately after showers and 

 rains, so that heavy crusts will not form and retard the germination 

 and growth of the plant. 



For the reception of the seed the area should be thoroughly 

 plowed and harrowed with an implement which* will fine and at 

 the same time compact the soil. The depth to which the soil 

 should be cultivated must be determined by experience. It is not 

 wise to plow the land more deeply for beans than for other truck 

 crops. As a general rule, however, soils used for market-garden or 

 truck purposes should be plowed deeply and pulverized thoroughly, 

 so as to maintain a seed bed from eight to ten inches in depth. 



Fertilizers. While beans are quick-growing and early-maturing 

 plants requiring an abundance of available plant food in the soil, 

 yet, because of the peculiar characteristics of the family to which 

 they belong, they make the soil better for having been grown up- 

 on it. They are nitrogen-gathering plants, and therefore require 

 only a small percentage of this element in any fertilizer used upon 

 them. Thus while large quantities of fertilizers containing nitrogen, 

 phosphoric acid, and potash are used by truck growers in the 



