102 FACTS AXD FIGURES OR THE 



CHAPTER XXI. 



BEANS. 



During the winter season a large part of the Ignited 

 States is looking to Florida for their supply of fresh snap 

 beans. This vegetable seems specially adapted to our soil 

 and climate and does well in most any part of the State. 

 In the Northern and Central sections they plant beans for 

 the fall crop in August and September ; for the spring, 

 from the middle of January until April. In Southern Flor- 

 ida they plant any time from the first of September until 

 February. It requires one bushel of seed to plant an acre. 



Beans usually sell well and sometimes command extreme 

 prices, selling as high as $5.00 to $9.00 per crate; but this 

 is only when they are very scarce. If the truck farmer 

 can average $1.50 per crate f. o. b. his station straight 

 through for this crop he is making big money. 



PREPARATION OF THE LAND. 



Prepare the soil as advised in chapter on Clearing and 

 Preparing of the Land for Planting. Plow it two ways, 

 then lay it off in furrows the width you wish the rows 

 apart, which is usually (if to be cultivated with a hand- 

 plow), from two to two and one-half feet. If to be culti- 

 vated with a horse plow, about three feet. I prefer to plant 

 beans in double rows, having the doube rows three feet 

 apart, and allowing eight to ten inches between the rows. In 

 this way you not only get more beans to the acre, but the 

 rows shade each other, and give a better yield. Apply the 

 fertilizer in the furrow, using any bean special, which will 

 analyze as follows: Ammonia, 5%; available phosphoric 

 acid, 6%; and potash, 5%, using from 500 to 1,000 pounds 

 to the acre. Cover this fertilizer well, mixing thoroughly 

 with the soil. (See chapter on Implements.) Drill the seed 

 in the furrows, dropping about three inches apart, and 

 packing the soil on top of them. 



