CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 233 



Navy and Snowflake. The pea and medium types are 

 grown the most extensively; their earliness is a great 

 advantage when the crop is to be followed by wheat. 



302. Climatic requirements. — Probably the bean is 

 more widely distributed than any other cultivated vege- 

 table. It is grown in nearly all parts of the world. In 

 tropical countries certain species grow luxuriantly and 

 produce abundantly, while the coldest agricultural sec- 

 tions grow certain hardy species or varieties with success. 



Notwithstanding these facts, beans exhibit great dif- 

 ferences in their power to withstand heat and cold. The 

 seeds of some decay more quickly than others when the 

 soil is cool and moist. Some are more tender to frost 

 than others. All vary greatly in the length of time 

 required to reach maturity. Hot, dry weather often 

 blasts the flowers, and an excessive amount of moisture 

 in soil or air when the crop nears maturity is objection- 

 able. In deciding what to plant, each type should be 

 considered in reference to the existing climatic or tem- 

 perature conditions. No class of beans will stand more 

 than a slight frost, but bush beans are more hardy than 

 pole varieties and may be planted slightly earlier. All 

 varieties of limas are very tender and require a long sea- 

 son, while many dwarf varieties of snap beans are ready 

 for use in six to eight weeks from planting. Varieties of 

 the same class also vary considerably in hardiness. 



303. Soils. — The first requisite of soil is thorough 

 drainage; the second is a moderate amount of organic 

 matter. Some varieties of beans will grow and mature 

 light crops in poor soils, but high fertility is essential to 

 large yields. 



Beans are grown successfully in all types of soils. This 

 is especially true of the dwarf garden varieties. Some of 

 the best early crops are grown on distinctly sandy soils, 

 while satisfactory yields are common on sandy loams. 

 The light sandy soils are especially important for lima 



