546 HUSB j 
the future progrefs of their growth. Soon after this the 
crop fhould be edge-hoed, and afterwards braked ; which 
method of braking is a piece of hulbandry peculiar to the 
county of Kent, and in every refpeft claims the prefer¬ 
ence to that of hoeing the whole fpace between the rows; 
not only becaufe the braking is performed at an inferior 
expence, but it is likewife more efficacious, as well for ex¬ 
tirpating the weeds that may have fprung up between the 
rows, as in farthering the advances of the beans in growth, 
by Icofening the foil, and conveying freffi earth to the 
ftalks. This operation of braking may be continued at 
the interval of three weeks or a month, from the begin¬ 
ning of May till the crop becomes in bloom. When it is 
propofed to earth-up the beans, this may be effefled with 
great facility by fixing a fmall block of wood on the 
brake ; and, according to the diameter of this block, the 
earth may be thrown to different elevations on the bean- 
dalks, as they advance in growth. 
It is remarked in the Survey of Middlefex, that beans 
are feldom ripe enough to cut till the latter end of Au- 
guft, apd the proper time is when the kids are turning 
black, about ten days before they would begin to open at 
the ends. Though in fome parts of the field the kids 
may not be fo black as in others, this Ihould not prevent 
their being cut; for they will ripen and harden after that 
is done, by fetting the fheaves upright, and leaving them 
in the field for a week or ten days. If they are cut long 
before they are ripe, they will ffirink and Ihrivel; and, if 
too ripe, they will (hed confiderably ; though there is 
much lefs danger in reaping them too early, than in let¬ 
ting them Hand too long. Thofe that are over-ripe 
ihould be cut with the dew on them, and carried to the 
barn in the fame ftate; the green parts of the crop being 
cut in the middle of the day. When the intention is to 
fow wheat or tares after beans, they ought to be fet up 
fo as to occupy as little fpace as poffible, that the vacant 
ground may be immediately prepared for the next crop. 
The bell method, is to cut the beans when the major 
part have ripened ; and, by fuffering the fiiocks to remain 
fome time in the field, the upper part of the ftalks will 
be fufficiently withered, fo.as to prevent any ill effefts 
from their humidity when laid in the barn or Hack; nor 
•will the beans from thofe unripened pods be of any in¬ 
jury to the fample. 
As the objedt of the'Kentilh bean-hulbandry is that of 
a preparation for wheat, the farmers are particularly at¬ 
tentive to the feveral operations of hoeing and braking 
the ground during the growth of the beans ; for, as the 
land in that county is of a nature fo-fertile as not to re¬ 
quire the intervention of a fummer-fallow, they fpare no 
pains in the cultivation of their bean and pea-grounds, 
in order to render it as clean and well pulverized as pof¬ 
fible by means of the hoe and brake, fo that this latter 
inltrument is fcarcely ever out of the field, from the be¬ 
ginning of May till the time when the beans are advanced 
to that height as to obftrucl the working of it; by which 
the ground becomes fo intimately divided, that every 
particle of foil in the interfpace is expofed to the benefi¬ 
cial influence of the fun and air, and at harveft fcarcely a 
-weed is perceptible throughout the crop. In order to de- 
llroy what few weeds may remain in the rows, and to 
give that part of the ground its due (hare of pulveriza 
tion, and to cleanfe it from the bean-haijlm, a plough is 
fet to work foon after harvell to fpuddle the gratten; and 
for this purpofe a plate of iron is fixed acrofs. the fhare at 
about four or five inches from the point, and the lame 
axle-tree and wheels are made ufe of that were before 
employed for ftriking out the furrows; and with this 
plough and two horles three acres of ground rnay be 
fpuddled-in a day, by fetting the (hare-point in the in¬ 
terval, fo that the non or fin may erpbrace a row on each 
fide ; and, when the whole field is thus fpuddled, the har¬ 
rows and roller are to fucceed, by which the haulm and 
weeds will be completely extricated at a trifling charge, 
and the ground be laid in readinefs for ploughing the 
i N D R Y, 
feed-furrows, at which time thofe beans or peafe which 
may have been ffied will have vegetated, and are dedroyed 
by the plough ; fo that the farmer may, from this mode 
or hufpandry, be not lefs confident of growing a clean 
fample of wheat, than if his ground had been really fum- 
mer-fallowed. 
On thin, chalky, or gravelly, grounds, notwithftandin'g 
what has juft been urged of the good effefts of fpuddiing, 
Mr. Young obferves, that it would perhaps be more pru¬ 
dent to omit that work, left it might contribute towards 
Joofening the foil beyond a due medium; for on thefe 
foils the chief aim fhould be to clofe them as much as 
poffible, that at wheat feed-time the furface may be per¬ 
fectly clofe ; and therefore to roll and harrow the bean and 
pea-ground on fuch foils, in order to rid the field of the 
haulm, See. and when it has lain fome time'to plough the 
feed-furrows, are the whole procefs neceffary to prepare it 
for the fucceeding crop of wheat; and this fliows, he 
thinks, the advantage of fowing with this grain, or with 
peafe, that part of the farm which is mofl free from weeds, 
and in the beft heart; not only that thefe pulfe, both of 
them (efpecially beans), require to be fown on good land, 
and on fuch as has been improved by manure, but like¬ 
wife that the erfhes or grattens may be fo perfectly clean, 
as not to require the operation of fpuddiing. 
In Kent, they cut their beans with a hook, and bind 
them into fheaves with rope-yarns. Thefe fheaves are fet 
up in fhocks of various forms, either five on each fide, in 
the manner of wheat-fliocks, or in a circular form, four 
fheaves to the fhock. Hut many farmers, in fuch years when 
the hops have failed, cut up the bind, and referve it as a 
fubflitute for rope-yarns to tie their bean-fheaves. Mr. 
Marshall, however, recommends the pulling-up the beans in 
preference to cutting; for, lie fays, the benefit the foil re¬ 
ceives will more than pay for the extra labour in clear¬ 
ing. Another advantage arifing from their being pulled, 
is the flubbornnefs of the roots keeping the mow open, 
and admitting a circulation of air. And he fays further, 
that by experience he found pulling up by hand far pre¬ 
ferable to cutting with fickles; as they may be pulled up 
not only much fader, but much cleaner from weeds and 
grafs, than when cut, befides leaving the land in a date 
greatly fuperior. The wade is alfo lefs, fo much fo as to 
lofe fcarcely a bean ; and the bean-dalks are immediately 
ready to bind and fet up ; and, by the roots lifting them 
from the ground, the air acquires a free circulation. 
The work is alfo eafier to the labourer, who Hands more 
upright, and the power required is much lefs, efpecially 
in dry weather. The foil in the drills, indead of being 
bound by the roots, and encumbered by the Hubble, is 
left as loofe as a garden, and the furface free from ob- 
dru&ions; and, if thoroughly hoed, is as fit as a fallow to 
be lowed with wheat on one ploughing. 
In Berkdiire, where they fow triple rows of beans at 
eight or nine inches, and leave intervals of tw.oYurrows 
width, it is the practice to plough two furrows up each 
interval from the beans, making a ridge in the middle, by 
a fmall light plough contrived for the purpofe, which is 
drawn by one horfe, a moid feafon being chofen for the 
bufinefs. After this the ridges are to be harrowed by 
means of a triangular harrow, by which the fuperficiaL 
parts of the foil are rendered light and mellow, lo as ta 
admit the natural fibres to ilioot in it with facility, and 
draw forth fupport for the crop more effectually ; this is 
admitted to be a good method. 
In fuch fummers as are dry, beans are frequently liable 
to be much injured by the attacks of the black fly, called 
by the farmers the dolphin ; the whole field in particular 
cafes being in danger of being dedroyed in the courl'e of 
a few days. In. order to prevent this mifehief, it is the 
practice in fome places to cut off the tops by means of a <t 
fcythC or other (harp implement, as it is modly on the 
tops of the plants that the infeCt find appears. When 
this method is adopted, it fliould be performed on the veiy 
fil'd appearance of the fly, otherwife little benefit can be 
1 produced;. 
