LEADING VEGETABLE CROPS 125 



The bean is comparatively free from serious in- 

 sect pests, with the exception of the bean weevil. 

 This insect is a little beetle about one-eighth of an 

 inch long, which eventually finds its way into the 

 body of the seed. The adult lays its eggs in the 

 field on the pods. Breeding continues after storage 

 and large numbers of the beans will be found to 

 contain the larvae or adults of this particular insect. 

 This insect is not a factor when the crop is mar- 

 keted in the green state and its destructiveness is 

 confined entirely to the dried bean crop. It is a 

 much more serious pest in the South than in the 

 North, which accounts for the fact that the growing 

 of dry beans is confined almost entirely to northern 

 latitudes and high altitudes. Fumigating the seed 

 with bi-sulphide of carbon is a most effective 

 remedy. Use at the rate of one-half ounce per 

 bushel of seed. The seeds should be placed in com- 

 paratively tight boxes or barrels, and the carbon 

 bi-sulphide placed in shallow vessels on the surface 

 and quickly covered with burlap or some other 

 similar material. The exposure should be for at 

 least forty-eight hours. The vapor of this material 

 is very inflammable and the fumigation should be 

 done away from fires or lights of any kind. 



BEETS 



The beet is a native of the Mediterranean regions. 

 Several forms have been in cultivation for more 

 than 2,000 years. It is almost universally grown by 

 gardeners the world over. Its ability to develop 

 under cool conditions and the short season nec- 

 essary for its growth make it adaptable to a 

 very wide range of climate. There are four dis- 



