372 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MAT 32, l!444. 



From the American Agriculturist. 



CULTURE OF THE FIE1>D BEAN. 



It has often been a iiiatlor of regret with us that 

 the copimon field white bean is not more extensive- 

 ly ciillivaled, especially in the Earitern States. It 

 produces bountifully, and pays better for the labor 

 bestowed upon it than any other crop on light poor 

 soils. iSakcd or boiled, it is a favorite dish at the 

 table ; U is also most excellent feed for stock, es. 

 pecinlly sheep. We estimate this humble little 

 vegetable highly ; and if the following hints serve 

 in the least to extend its culture, we shall feel 

 amply repaid for writing this article. 



Soil. — The bean will grow well in any soil, from 

 the stiffi'st clay to the loosest sand ; but in our ex- 

 perience in its culture, we have found thai a lij;ht 

 prnvel, abounding soincwhiil with stone, suits it 

 l>est. In a clay soil the bean does not ripen so 

 well or show so pure a white, and it is somewhat 

 stiliject to mould and rot ; in rich loams it runs too 

 much to vine ; and in light shining sands, its 

 gr'iwth is small and somewhat parched. 



Preparation — We are supposing the soil a hard 

 poor gravel: in this case it is customary to plow 

 about 3 inches deep; but as the bean sends out 

 innumerable fine roots from its main stem, it is im- 

 portant to have the ground loose and inellow to a 

 greater depth, and yet keep the most fertile part of 

 It on the top. If, then, the. labor can be spared, 

 and it bo not too expensive, we would recommend 

 that the surface plow be followed by the smaller 

 kind of subsoil-plow, stirring the ground 6 inches 

 deeper thus making the two plowings at least 9 

 inches in depth. 



Manure. — A favorite manure for a benn crop in 

 some parts of Mass,ichusetts, is chip-dung ; but 

 composts rf most any kind, answer very well, es- 

 pecially those in which muck predominates. Lime, 

 ashes, charcoal and plaster, are more or less bene- 

 ficial as a top-dressing. Long manure fresh from 

 the barn-yard, is rather too rank, and is apt to 

 make the beans run too much to vine ; but this de- 

 pends iJomething upon the soil to which it is ap- 

 plied. Whatever fertilizing mitcrials, however, 

 are made use of, if the land be very poor and 

 rough, and it is not particularly wished to improve 

 it for a succeeding crop, we would recommend 

 that they should be used for manuring in the hill ; 

 otherwise be spread broadcast upon the land di- 

 rectly after plowing, then well incrporated with 

 the soil by harrowing. Thus prepared, the ground 

 should be planted as soon as possible. 



Planting. — For this purpose, some prefer throw, 

 ing tho field into ridges; but this should only be 

 resorted to when the soil is stiff, or possesses a su- 

 perabiindar.t moisture ; in evory other case, plant- 

 ing on a level surface is best. Drills 2 1-2 to I? 

 feet apart, is the favorite method of planting with 

 those who are desirous of making the most of their 

 ground ; hills 2 1-2 to -3 feet distant each way, an- 

 swer nearly as well ; sonie sow broadcast, but 

 when this is done, no afterculture can follow, and 

 the crop is liable to be lessened by (he growth of 

 weed.--, and the land is left in a foul state. 

 Beans arc frequently grown among corn, being 

 planted between each hill at the second time of 

 hoeing-. ■ The crop under these circumstances is 

 small ; it takes also from that of the corn, and it 

 may he considered upon the whole, as scarcely 

 paying for the extra trouble of culture. It is cus- 

 tomary to plant beans after corn and pot.ntoes are 

 got in. The first week in June is quite early 



enough in this climate ; farther north, the last ol 

 May is perhaps better: it grows quick, and we 

 have seen first rate crops gathered from plantings 

 as late as the 15th of June, in the latitude of 42.° 

 The quantity of seed usna'ly allowed per acre, in 

 hills, is one bushel ; in drills, it would require a 

 little more ; broadcast, at least two bushels. Yet 

 this will depend something upon the size of the 

 bean used, and the economy in dropping the seed. 

 Six to seven beans should be dropped in each hill, 

 and four or five slocks be left to bear ; in drills, 

 drop the seed every two or three inches, and leave 

 a plant every four to six inches. When planted in 

 hills the field may bo checked out by a light one- 

 horse ploWj as for corn ; then drop the seed by 

 hand, and cover with a hoe or shovel. plow ; for 

 drills, run the plow about two inches deep, then 

 drop as above, or from a long-necked bottle, or a 

 tin cup with a hole in the bottom and a handle at- 

 tached to it, slightly shaking the cup or bottle as 

 the person dropping walks along. Children are 

 best for this kind of work, as they are not obliged 

 to stoop so much as men, and they will do it quite 

 as rapidly and well. After dropping, cover about 

 two inches deep with tlie hoe, or turn back the 

 furrow with the plow. When this is finished, it is 

 best to pass a light roller over the ground. For 

 drill planting, there are various machines which 

 answer as well for beans as for corn, but in stony 

 ground, or a stiff soil, they do not cover well. 



After-culture. — This is very simple, and only re- 

 quires the cultivator to be passed up and down the 

 rows at two or three different times during the sea- 

 son, for the purpose of keeping the weeds down 

 and stirring the earth, followed by a slight hilling 

 with the hoe or a light plow, throwing the dirt to 

 the plant.i. 



Harvesting. — This should be done in dry weath- 

 er, as soon as the bean is well formed, and there is 

 no danger of its moulding or shrinking ; if left till 

 touched by a hard frost, the pods are liable to 

 crack open, and much waste ensues from their 

 shelling. When sown broadcast on smooth land, 

 the most rapid way of harvesting is by mowing; 

 when in hills or drills, especially in rough ground, 

 it is customary to pull the vines by hand, which 

 being light work, and demanding a good deal of 

 stooping, may also, like the dropping of the seed, 

 be pert'ormed by children. As the bean-vines are 

 pulled they are thrown into small heaps, and sunned 

 daily like hay. As soon as sufficiently dry, they 

 should be taken to the barn, thrashed, and the 

 straw stacked. We have never found it answer to 

 stack beans before thrashed ; they have invariably 

 become dark-colored or spotted, and in addition to 

 this, we lost more or less by rot or nwuld. Mr 

 Solon Robintfon, in vol. viii. of the Cultivator, rec- 

 ommends the following method of curing beans: 



" Take poles or stakes (common fence-stakes) 

 into your bean field, and set them stiff in the 

 ground, at convenient distances apart, which ex- 

 perience will soon show you, and put a few sticks 

 or stones around for a bottom, and then, as you 

 pull an arm-full, take them to the slakes, and lay 

 them jround, the roots always to Ihe stake, as hi^'h 

 as you can reach, and tie the top course with a 

 string or straw, to prevent them from being blown 

 off, and you will never complain again that yon 

 cannot raise heans, because they are too trouble- 

 some to save." 



Product. — This varies greatly according to soil 

 and cultivation. When planted with corn, 7 to 12 j 

 bushels is a fair yield per acre ; when planted ] 



alone, 20 to 25 bushels. Wo are persuaded iha 

 by subsoiliiig even tho poorest gravel land, ar 

 only lightly top-dressing it with the proper kind 

 manure, from 30 to 35 bushels per acre may 1 

 counted upon as an average ; and if so, beai 

 would be a much more profitable crop than ar 

 thing else which eould be produced from such Ian 

 The highest product which we have known takt 

 from a single acre was 53 bushels, but wo lia' 

 heard of 60 bushels being raised. 



Value. — White beans of a good quality, wt 

 cleaned, and neatly put up, usually bring from j 

 to f 1 75 per bushel in this market ; and occasio 

 ally they are worth from $2 to $2 50. Th- stra 

 is valuable as food for sheep, and wl en proper 

 cured, they eat it with avidity. In a chemic 

 analysis of beans, it is found they abound with 

 greater quantity of the elements of wool than ai 

 other grain or vegetable ; to make sheep produi 

 heavy fleeces, they are therefore particularly dei 

 rable as food, and such is the natural fondness 

 those animals for them, that they will eat the 

 with avidity, whole or ground, even in a damag. 

 state. Corn is good for falling sheep, but not 

 valuable as beans, peas, oats, and most other kin 

 of grain, for the production of wool. 



From the Albany Cultivator. 



THE PUMPKIN CROP. 



Messrs. Editors — The pumpkin may be just 

 called^one of the best articles the farmer raisi 

 There are many different varieties of this v«gcl 

 ble, but we think there is none equal to the ol 

 fashioned, yellow, field pumpkin, for yield a 

 goodness. For producing rich milk, it is one 

 the very best articles that can be given cows. F 

 raw to bogs, they are useful by increasing the i 

 petite. They will fatten young fall beef, and gi 

 fatting oxen a better start in the fall than eitb 

 potatoes or turnips. 



The cultivation of the pumpkin is thought 

 many farmers a secondary affair. Hence the id 

 that they can be grown only in extraordinary s« 

 sons, when everything is favorable. But that ti 

 crop can be successfully grown with corn, 1 bs 

 had abundant evidence, having never rased tht 

 feparately but one season. The pumpkin H 

 grow, and generally succeed well in any soil tH 

 will produce the corn crop successfully. Thi 

 like a rich, warm soil, with plenty of stable manu 

 to feed on, and will stand drought as well as (i 

 crop. But there are some difficulties to be o«i 

 come in getttng the crop up and out of the waji 

 insects, (bugs, &c.) 



We have generally planted pumpkin seed at I 

 time of plan'ing corn ; but there is an objectioil 

 this early planting, and that is, they may be cut 

 by a late frost. This was the case in this sect! 

 the two last seasons — frosts occurring about I 

 first of June. After the yoong plants are up, ai 

 ihe danger from frosts is past, then comes Ihe "I 

 of war" with the bugs. The little striped bu 

 coinc in swarms, and will in a short time, if left 

 themselves, destroy ihe crop. But in this col 

 (as in all others,) " preventbn is better than cure 

 and to prevent their attacks, wo sprinkle Ihe pUl 

 as soon as up, with plaster, and find tiie " varininl 

 do not like to meddle with any thing that is whil 

 with this substance. In case the plaster is wash 

 off by rain, we sprinkle again, and contmi e to 

 so as often as is necessary, till the plnnts area 

 of the way uf these "pestiferous critters." 



