72 
Practical  Hints  on  Vegetable  Farming. 
Crops  may  be  obtained  during  every  inontli  of  the  year,  by 
sowing  and  growing  in  artificially  heated  glass  structures  in 
autumn,  winter,  and  spring,  and  by  sowing  out  of  doors  in  April 
and  May. 
For  a su])ply  in  late  autumn  and  wdnter  the  seed  should  be 
sown  in  soil  in  frames,  heated  by  means  of  hot  water,  in  July 
or  August.  Another  sowdng  should  be  made  in  January,  to  be 
followed  by  monthly  sowings,  according  to  the  demand  and 
convenience.  A temperature  of  65”  by  night  and  75”  by  day 
suits  them  admirably.  Syringe  them  several  times  a day  to 
keep  in  check  their  great  enemy  the  red  spider. 
The  earliest  beans  from  the  open  air  may  be  obtained  from 
seed  sown  at  the  beginning  of  April  at  the  foot  of  a wall  facing 
south,  and  especially  from  a border  at  the  front  of,  and  in 
contact  with,  a hothouse,  early  vinery,  or  early  peach  house. 
The  beginning  of  May  is  a good  time  for  the  earliest  sowing 
where  no  shelter  is  available.  French  Beans  are  a good  paying 
crop  when  grown  early,  realising  from  6J.  to  2s.  ]>er  pound, 
according  to  the  season.  “ Ne  plus  Ultra  ” is  a good  variety 
for  the  ])urpose.  The  demand  for  French  Beans  falls  off 
rapidly  when  runner  beans  become  available. 
Rininer  Bean. — These  make  one  of  the  most  valuable  crops 
in  the  kitchen  garden,  and  a generally  fair  paying  crop  in  the 
market  garden.  The  earliest  Bunner  Beans  in  the  market 
realise  the  highest  ]>rices,  and  when  those  prices  are  6a\  to  8.<f. 
per  bushel  of  40  lb.,  as  in  1908,  and  the  crop  is  at  the  rate 
of  upw'ards  of  200  bushels  per  acre,  things  look  roseate.  If 
the  crop  average  3.s.  per  bushel  for  the  season,  we  have  the 
satisfactory  price  of  30k  per  acre  for  a crop  which  is  on  the 
ground  not  more  than  six  months,  and  which  leaves  the  soil  in 
good  “ heart  ” for  another  crop. 
For  the  early  pods  probably  the  beginning  of  May  is  about 
the  best  time  for  sowing  the  seed.  But  Bunner  Beans  may  be 
sown  as  late  as  the  end  of  June,  if  a large  supply  of  the  best 
pods  are  desired  through  Se])tember  and  October.  If  the 
intention  is  to  use  sticks  to  the  beans  the  rows  should  be  sown 
about  five  feet  apart  ; but  if  sticks  are  not  to  be  used  then 
the  rows  should  be  three  feet  aj>art.  Many  hundreds  of  acres 
of  Bunner  Beans  are  grown  for  market  in  this  way,  the 
climbing  shoots  not  being  allowed  to  extend  themselves  at  will, 
but  being  re])eatedly  cut  back  to  two  new  leaves.  Tlie  plants 
are  thus  kept  dwarf  and  within  the  limit  of  the  three  feet 
allotted  to  them.  The  accompanying  illustrations  (Figs.  2 to  4) 
