CROPS 57 



be practiced. It should be borne in mind, however, that 

 the bean is a shallow -rooted plant, and that the cultivation 

 must be carefully done to avoid breaking the roots. 



Harvesting. Snap or shell beans must be gathered 

 by hand. Half-bushel baskets are convenient for this pur- 

 pose. Field beans may be pulled by hand or harvested by 

 machines that cut the plants off close to the ground and 

 leave them in windrows. After cutting, the beans are 

 allowed to cure until in the proper condition to run through 

 a threshing machine. 



Snap or shell beans are marketed in baskets or boxes 

 holding a bushel each. Dry or field beans are generally 

 marketed in sacks. Previous to sacking, the beans are run 

 through machines that remove the dirt and rubbish. 



Varieties. There are many varieties of beans and the 

 grower, in selecting his varieties, will do best to choose 

 such varieties as have been proven adapted to the conditions 

 under which he intends to grow them. 



Fertilizers. Nitrogenous fertilizers are not required to 

 any extent for beans. A complete fertilizer containing 

 2% or 3% of nitrogen, 8% potash and 10% of phosphoric 

 acid, is well adapted to fertihzing beans. This should be 

 used at the rate of 500 to 1500 pounds per acre. 



To maintain the supply of humus, cover crops may be 

 grown and ploughed under, or stable manure ploughed in 

 at the rate of 10 to 15 cords per acre. 



III. BEETS 



Soil. Beets do best in light soils; sandy loams being 

 particularly desirable. Such soils produce a crop early, 

 with roots smooth and free from fibrous roots. Heavy 

 soils tend to irregular shaped roots and to the production 



