J 32 
CULTURE OF THE FIELD-BEAN. 
oest. In a clay soil the bean does not ripen so 
well or show so pure a white, and it is somewhat 
subject to mould and rot; in rich loams it runs 
too much to vine; and in light shifting sands its 
growth is small and somewhat parched. 
Preparation. —We are supposing the soil a 
hard poor gravel: in this case it is customary to 
plow about 3 inches deep; but as the bean sends 
out innumerable fine roots from its main stem, it 
is important to have the ground loose and mellow 
to a greater depth, and yet keep the most fertile 
part of it on the top. If, then, the labor can be 
spared, and it be not too expensive, we would rec¬ 
ommend that the surface-plow be followed by the 
smaller kind of subsoil-plow, stirring the ground 
6 inches deeper, thus making the two plowings at 
least 9 inches in depth. 
Manure.—A very favorite manure for a bean 
crop in some parts of Massachusetts is chip-dung; 
but composts of most any kind answer very well, 
especially those in which muck predominates. 
Lime, ashes, charcoal, and plaster, are more or less 
beneficial as a top-dressing. Long manure fresh 
from the barn-yard is rather too rank, and is apt 
to make the beans run too much to vine; but this 
depends something upon the soil to which it is ap¬ 
plied. Whatever fertilizing materials, however, 
are made use of, if the land be very poor a*hd rough, 
and it is not particularly wished to improve it for 
a succeeding crop, we would recommend that they 
should be used for manuring in the hill; otherwise 
be spread broadcast upon the land directly after 
plowing, then well incorporated with the soil by 
harrowing. Thus prepared, the ground should be 
planted as soon as possible. 
Seed. —The best kind of field-bean, is of small 
size, plump, round, and slightly oblong in shape 
and of a white color. It is common in the eastern 
states, and one of the finest samples of it which 
we have seen, is now being distributed over the* 
country by that indefatigable friend of agriculture, 
the Hon. H. L. Ellsworth, Commissioner of the 
Patent Office. 
Planting.— -For this purpose, some prefer throw¬ 
ing the field into ridges; but this should only be 
resorted to when the soil is stiff, or possesses a su¬ 
perabundant moisture; in every other case, plant¬ 
ing on a level surface is best. Drills to 3 feet 
apart is the favorite method of planting with those 
who are desirous of making the most of their 
ground; hills 2$ to 3 feet distant each way an¬ 
swer nearly as well; some sow broad-cast, but 
when this is done, no after-culture can follow, and 
the crop is liable to be lessened by the growth of 
weeds, and the land is left in a foul state. Beans 
are frequently grown among corn, being planted be¬ 
tween each hill at the second time of hoeing. The 
crop under these circumstances is small; it takes 
also from that of the corn, and it may be considered 
upon the whole, as scarcely paying for the extra 
trouble of culture. It is customary to plant beans 
after corn and potatoes are got in. The first week 
in June is quite early enough in this climate, far¬ 
ther north the last of May is perhaps better: it 
grows quick, and we have seen first rate crops 
gathered from plantings as late as the 15th of 
June, in the latitude of 42°, The quantity of seed 
usually allowed per acre, in hills, is one bushel; 
in drills, it would require a little more ; broad-cast, 
at least two bushels. Yet this will depend some¬ 
thing upon the size of the bean used, and the 
economy in dropping the seed. Six to seven beans 
should be dropped in each hill, and four or five 
stocks be left to bear ; in drills drop the seed every 
two or three inches, and leave a plant every four 
to six inches. When planted in hills, the field 
may be checked out by a light one-horse plow as 
for corn, then drop the seed by hand, and cover 
with a hoe or shovel-plow ; for drills run the plow 
about two inches deep, then drop as above, or from 
a long necked bottle, or a tin cup with a hole in 
the bottom and a handle attached to it, slightly 
shaking the cup or bottle as the person dropping 
walks along. Children are best for this kind of 
work, as they are not obliged to stoop as much as 
men, and they will do it quite as rapidly and well. 
After dropping cover about two inches deep with 
the hoe, or turn back the furrow with the plow. 
When this is finished, it is best to pass a light 
roller over the ground. For drill-planting, there 
are various machines which answer as well for 
beans as for corn, but in stony ground, or a stiff 
soil, they do not cover well. 
After-Culture,—T his is very simple, and only 
requires the cultivator to be passed up and down 
the rows at two or three different times during the 
season, for the purpose of keeping the weeds down 
and stirring the earth, followed by a slight hilling 
with the hoe or a light plow, throwing the dirt to 
the plants. 
Harvesting.-— This should be done in dry 
weather as soon as the bean is well formed, and 
there is no danger of its moulding or shrinking; 
if left till touched by a hard frost, the pods are 
liable to crack open, and much waste ensues from 
their shelling. When sown broad-cast on smooth 
land, the most rapid way of harvesting is by mow¬ 
ing ; when in hills or drills, especially in rough 
ground, it is customary to pull the vines by hand, 
which being light work, and demanding a good 
deal of stooping^ may also, like the dropping of the 
seed, be performed by children. As the bean-vines 
are pulled they are thrown into small heaps, and 
sunned daily like hay. As soon as sufficiently dry, 
they should be taken to the barn, thrashed, and 
the straw stacked. We have never found it an¬ 
swer to stack beans before being thrashed; they 
have invariably become dark-colored or spotted, 
and in addition to this, we lost more or less by rot 
and mould. Mr. Solon Robinson, Vol. VIII. of the 
Cultivator, recommends the following method of 
curing beans on a clay soil in Indiana:— 
“ Take poles or stakes (common fence-stakes) 
into your bean-field, and set them stiff in the 
ground, at convenient distances apart, which ex¬ 
perience will soon show you, and put a few sticks 
or stones around for a bottom, and then, as you 
pull an arm-full, take them to the stakes, and lay 
them around, the roots always to the stake, as 
high as you can reach, and tie the top course with 
a string, or a little straw, to prevent them from 
being blown off, and you will never complain 
again, that you can not raise beans, because they 
are too troublesome to save.” 
