CHAPTER 20 



Annual Legumes, Grown Principally for Seeds 



The annual legumes most grown in North America for seed are the 

 white or navy bean, the common pea and the peanut. They are used 

 extensively as food for man. In addition to these, cowpeas and soy beans 

 are grown for seed, some of which is used for human food, some for stock 

 food, but still more for seeding purposes. 



The production of crimson clover, vetch and castor bean for their seed 

 is of minor importance in North America. 



Field Bean. — Is extensively grown under field conditions for the pro- 

 duction of dried beans. These become the baked beans of New England 

 fame. According to the census of 1910 the production in the United States 

 was 11,250,000 bushels of 60 pounds from 803,000 acres. Michigan, Cali- 

 fornia and New York lead in bean production. During the same year 

 Canada grew about 1,000,000 bushels from 50,000 acres. 



Field beans do best in a cool, moist climate. They are not adapted to 

 conditions south of 40 degrees north latitude. Field beans are adapted to 

 loamy soils of a calcareous nature, but may be grown fairly well on clay 

 loams and silt loams when well supplied with organic matter. The under- 

 drainage must be good and cultural methods such as will produce a fine, 

 mellow seed-bed. 



Time, Rate, Manner and Depth of Seeding.- — Beans are tender plants 

 and seeding, therefore, should be deferred until danger from frost is past. 

 This makes it convenient to plant them immediately after planting corn. 



They give best results when planted in rows far enough apart to permit 

 horse cultivation. The beans may be drilled or planted in hills. Drilling 

 usually gives best results, distributing the seed from three to six inches 

 apart in the row. With rows thirty inches apart about one-half bushel of 

 seed per acre wall be required. 



Great care must be taken not to plant too deeply. The habit of growth 

 is such that the plant cannot reach the surface if planted deeply. An inch 

 and one-half to two inches is the maximum depth on any except sandy 

 soils. On sandy soils they may be three inches deep. 



The beans should be thoroughly and frequently cultivated during 

 their early stages of growth to destroy weeds and conserve soil moisture. 

 They should not be cultivated when dew is on the plants. This precaution 

 must be taken to guard against certain diseases, the spores of which may 

 be in the soil. Disturbing the plants while they are wet tends to scatter 

 the spores and spread the disease. 



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