GARDEN BEANS 141 



just before the latter reach marketable size, so that about the time 

 the lettuce is removed the area will be occupied by the young beans. 

 The proceeds from a catch crop of this kind are frequently suffi- 

 cient to cover the cost of the production of all three crops grown 

 upon the land during the season, a matter of great importance in 

 intensive agricultural operations. 



Quantity of seed necessary for garden beans. The seed required 

 to plant an acre of beans varies with the style of planting, from I o 

 to 1 2 quarts being necessary when 3 or 4 seeds are placed together 

 in hills 1 8 inches apart with the rows 30 inches apart, while from 

 i bushel to 1 1 bushels are needed when the seeds are distributed at 

 intervals of 2 or 3 inches in drills 30 inches apart. 



Cultivation of garden beans. After the young plants have 

 appeared above the surface of the ground, the subsequent culti- 

 vation should be carried on with implements which stir the 

 surface of the soil only and leave it fine, loose, and almost per- 

 fectly smooth. To accomplish this with horse-power implements 

 it is necessary that they have numerous narrow, shallow-working 

 teeth. Cultivators with broad teeth, which tear up the earth to the 

 depth of 4 or 6 inches, leave the ground rough, cloddy, and un- 

 even, thus exposing a large area to the action of the sun and wind. 

 This results in an undue loss of moisture and indirectly retards the 

 growth of the plants. On the other hand, shallow cultivation with 

 implements having narrow teeth, which stir the soil to the depth of 

 only 2\ or 3 inches and leave the soil fine and loose, has a ten- 

 dency to conserve moisture by preserving a blanket, or mulch, of 

 loose earth over the compact water-carrying strata, in which the 

 roots of the plants are fixed. This type of cultivation is of great 

 value in connection with all quick-growing crops which require an 

 abundant supply of moisture for their development. 



At the last cultivation, when the plants are large and heavy, it 

 is advisable to use winged teeth upon the cultivator in order to 

 throw a small quantity of soil against the stems of the plant, which 

 will assist in supporting them and will cover the roots slightly more 

 than they are normally covered by level culture. 



Harvesting garden beans. From the nature of the product the 

 harvesting of beans for use as string or snap beans must neces- 

 sarily be done by hand. Their extensive culture is therefore 



