Beans 1507 



actual conditions, the yields per acre of wheat and other farm 

 crops have been on the increase, while in these same localities 

 the yield of beans has grown less and more uncertain, excepting 

 under unusual seasonal conditions. A number of years ago I 

 planted thirty acres of beans one year. Some of this land was 

 sod, but most of it had grown beans, corn or potatoes the pre- 

 vious year. The season was ideal, and an average of thirty bushels 

 to the acre was the result. I began to think that I " knew beans." 

 The next year I planted about the same acreage. The season was 

 just the reverse of the preceding one and about twelve bushels to 

 the acre was the result, and these not first quality. 



PREPARATION OF LAND FOR BEANS 



This should not be left until the year we wish to plant the 

 crop, for the first preparation is a good sod — a clover sod is 

 preferable. 



As to time of plowing the land : if the soil be of the heavy 

 order, late fall or early spring is the best time, although good 

 crops are often grown when the plowing has been delayed until 

 quite late in the spring — 'but this is an exception to the gen- 

 eral rule. Lighter soils should be plowed in time to give the land 

 thorough preparation. If a heavy application of manure has been 

 given the sod direct, it is better to grow a crop of corn the first 

 year and follow with beans, then wheat, and seed again, making 

 a four-year rotation. There is no better implement for levelling 

 and firming the ground than the plank drag or old-fashioned clod 

 brasher. This implement removes any humps in the furrows and 

 deposits them in the spaces between, as well as filling up the 

 deep holes made by the horses' feet, and these holes and depres- 

 sions mean a big item, taking the whole field into consideration. 

 Tf they are left as the roller leaves them, they must be filled by the 

 harrow with loose dust, and an even, firm undersurface is not 

 possible. Beans need this in order to get an even start — a very 

 important first step. A roller presses heavily on the highest 

 spots and does nothing at all to the little hollows and holes. Up 

 to this point, if the furrows have been leveled and firmed the 

 same day they are turned over so as to better conserve the mois- 

 ture, with "the soil in good heart and the harrow used often up 

 to the time of planting, we have so far done our part toward 

 giving the crop a good start 



