through the county of Oxford, when there were at least ten thousand barrels of good 

 fruit lying on the ground. This was because the people did not know how to reach 

 the markets with it, and there were no buyers sufficiently interested to think it worth 

 while to purchase it. 



The great mass of our best fruit is put on the market by men who are spraying 

 their orchards, cultivating and giving them the necessary care. In these orchards, 

 in many cases, not more than 5 per cent, of the apples are injured by insects. I know 

 of many an orchard in Ontario where the insect injury is not even 5 per cent. 



The probability is that in unsprayed orchards, taking the Province as a whole, 

 50 per cent, of the fruit would be rendered culls by insects. There are, of course, a 

 number of orchards that are sprayed and in which the insects are not at all satisfactorily 

 controlled, because the owners do not know how to spray thoroughly and do not take 

 the necessary pains to learn how. Such orchards might be classed among the unsprayed. 

 Fruit is made unsaleable both by insects and by disease ; in fact, Apple Scab is 

 probably a much greater foe to the apple grower than any of our insects, that is, taking 

 the Province as a whole. — L. Caesar, in the "Canadian Horticulturist." 



BEANS 



J. O. LAIRD, Blenheim 



The fact that beans have been a good price for a number of years, and also that they 

 are of very great food value, should encourage every person who can to grow as large a 

 crop as possible this coming season. 



Beans have been most extensively grown in a loamy soil, but of late years it has 

 been found that they will do well even on a fairly heavy clay soil, providing the land is 

 well drained. The heavier land that is intended for beans should be fall ploughed, 

 but land that is of a more loamy nature is as well not ploughed until spring. Sod land 

 with a coating of ten or twelve loads of farmyard manure has been most frequently 

 used for beans. The use of manure just before the bean crop may, however, continue 

 or produce a disease, and, if so, some other system should be practised. 



Bean ground that has been fall ploughed should be kept in a fine state of tilth 

 during April and May, in order to kill as many weeds as possible and to retain the soil 

 moisture. If ploughed in the spring, the land should be rolled soon after ploughing, 

 then disked and harrowed, and kept in good condition until planting. The seed should 

 be even in size and free from disease. The amount used is from three pecks to one 

 bushel per acre. The planting may take place between May 28 and June 15. The 

 ground is usually rolled before planting, and the seed planted with the ordinary grain 

 drill, letting only three tubes run on an eleven-tube drill, making the rows 28 inches 

 apart. 



The Pea Bean is the standard variety and commands the most uniform price. 

 There are a number of fancy varieties grown, such as the Yellow Eye, Turtle Soup, 

 and Marrow Fat. 



Cultivation of the bean crop is, of course, very important. It is a good practice 

 to harrow the beans before they are up. Beans germinate quickly and, under favourable 

 conditions, will be up in four or five days. The weeder is often used before they are 

 large enough to cultivate. Whether the weeder is used or not, the shields on the two 

 horse cultivator should be raised just slightly off the ground, so that the earth will 

 cover any small weeds near the plants. The beans shculd be cultivated about every 

 ten days, or after each rain. When the blcssoir.s come out it is best to cease cultivation, 

 as the cultivator will knock off a great many blossoms. If the cultivation has been 

 thorough, n<)t much hand hoeing will be required. 



Beans are usually ripe the first or second week of September. A bean-pulling 

 attachment can be placed on the two-horse cultivator which will cut two rows at once. 



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