CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 237 



to wait until the ground is thoroughly warm and when 

 there is little danger of damaging weather conditions. 

 The kidney group may be planted the earliest, followed 

 by the marrows and then the pea varieties. In New 

 York the kidneys may be planted the latter part of May, 

 and the pea varieties from June 5 to 20. 



Spacing distances between rows range from 24 to 34 

 inches, 28 being most popular. Some investigators be- 

 lieve the largest yields are obtained when the beans are 

 4 to 6 inches apart, while the usual distance is from 2 to 4. 



The depth of planting should be regulated by the 

 character of the soil; in heavy soils i^ inches is ample, 

 while 2 to 3 is not too deep in the lighter soils. For 

 planting, one-half bushel of the smaller beans an acre is 

 the most common allowance, while some farmers prefer 

 three-fourths of a bushel ; from 4 to 6 pecks of the kidney 

 varieties are used an acre. 



Field beans are usually planted with grain drills. 

 Either 9 or 11 tube drills may be eiriployed. The opera- 

 tion is explained by the Michigan Station (Michigan 

 Station Bulletin 259, p. 91) as follows: "One of the best 

 machines for planting beans is the ordinary ii-drill grain 

 seeder with 7-inch spaces between the tubes. Stop up 

 all the tubes except the 2d, 6th and loth and let the drill 

 wheel follow in its own outer wheel mark instead of in 

 the last drill mark, as in sowing grain. This will plant 

 three rows at a time, 28 inches apart, which is about the 

 proper distance. In planting the larger varieties of kid- 

 ney beans, a bean attachment or special bean drill should 

 be used. Some makes of grain drills have attachments 

 for planting beans." Press wheels on the tubes are val- 

 uable to secure a uniform depth of covering and an even 

 stand. Field beans are sometimes grown in hills, but 

 drills are favorable to larger yields. 



308. Planting dwarf, snap and green shell beans.^ 

 Earliness is an important factor in the culture of snap 



