38 



BEAN. 



for then tbey are m the highest perfection for the table ^ 

 and the plants ^vill bear more fully, and last longer in fruit, 

 under a course of clean gathering, not leaving any super- 

 abundant pods to grow old. 



To save seed. — Either sow a portion for that object, or 

 leave rows wholly ungathered, of the main crop, or preserve 

 a sufficiency of good pods promiscuously. The beans saved 

 should be the first fruits of a crop, sown at a period which 

 throws the entire course of growth into the hnest part of 

 summer. Let them hang on the stalks till they ripen fully,^ 

 in August and September ; then let the haulm be pulled up 

 and placed in the sun, to dry and harden the seed, which 

 should be afterwards cleared out of the husks, bagged up, 

 and housed. 



The pea, English bean, and kidney bean, are liable to 

 the attacks of various insects, especially the aphides^ [plant 

 lice,] in dry seasons. When early crops are newly sown, 

 or planted, mice Vv^ill burrow for and eat the seed, and when 

 it begins to penetrate the soil, it is attacked by snails, slugs, 

 the cut worm, &c. The usual means of guarding against 

 the ravages of insects must, therefore, be resorted to by 

 the gardener. 



As regards the field culture of the bean, we would ob- 

 serve, that the white kind, which is most generally approved 

 of in New England, will produce pretty good crops, on 

 poor, sand}', or gravelly soils ; but, when planted on such 

 ground, it is good husbandry to w^et aiid roll tbem in plas- 

 ter before planting. They may be planted in hills, or drills, 

 the rows two and a half or three feet apart, according to 

 the strength of the soil, and cultivated like other hoed 

 crops. They may be planted the latter end of May, or 

 beginning of June, or about the time of planting Indian 

 corn. If planted in hills, they may be placed from fourteen 

 to twenty-four inches apart in the rows, and the rows the 

 distance before mentioned. Five beans are quite enough 

 to remain in a hill. Hogs' dung, mixed with ashes, is said 

 to be the best manure for them ; and it is said to be very 

 injurious to beans to hoe them w^hile the dew is on, or in 

 wet weather. 



Judge Buel, of Albany, has given the follow^ing notices 

 of some experiments, in the field culture of this vegetable : 

 — " Beans may be cultivated in drills or in hills. They are 



