GROWING CULTIVATED CROPS IN DRY AREAS 297 



the Canadian boundary, if not, indeed, farther, and at ele- 

 vations as high as 3,000 feet, if not, indeed, higher. The 

 soy bean, however, may not be grown with much suc- 

 cess north of the parallel of, say, 43, although in some 

 varieties, as the New Era, -it may be matured as far 

 north as 45. 



Soils. Both classes of beans may be grown on a 

 wide range of soils. The favorite soils for both, however, 

 are loams, especially loams that have a considerable con- 

 tent of sand. While these crops will grow and produce 

 on soils relatively low in fertility, they respond readily 

 to fertilization. The volcanic ash soils of the west are 

 well adapted to these crops. They may be grown on 

 stiff clays, but not so well as on a better class of soils. 

 There is no room for them on alkali lands. 



Place in the rotation. Both classes of beans are 

 grown under cultivation and both are soil enrichers. 

 Both may, therefore, be grown as cleaning and reno- 

 vating crops. Both come with peculiar propriety after 

 grain crops, and with equal propriety they may be fol- 

 lowed by grain crops. They grow well on sod land in 

 a proper condition of preparation. The aim should be 

 not to plant them after other cultivated crops or on sum- 

 mer-fallow, as such land is wanted for the growth of 

 cereals. 



Preparing the soil. The preparation of the land for 

 beans is not far different from the preparation suitable 

 for corn (see p. 168). As the crop is not usually planted 

 so early as corn, a correspondingly longer time is given 

 for cleaning the land by the aid of the harrow prior to 

 the planting of the crop. 



Planting. The most suitable varieties of the com- 

 mon bean include the navy, the Mexican and the white 

 wax. The navy is the most popular by far of the field 

 varieties, especially the small navy. In California and 

 some of the other states southward, the lima varieties 



