BEANS IN COLORADO 
By ALVIN KEZER 
SUMMARY 
Beans are becoming an increasingly important crop in Colo¬ 
rado. 
They are well adapted for both dry farming and irrigated con¬ 
ditions. 
The “Plains” section is almost entirely adapted for the grow¬ 
ing of beans. They do well also in mountain valleys at altitudes 
not to exceed 7,000 feet. In many localities 6,000 feet is too high 
for their proper growth because of the shortness of the season and 
the tendency of early and late frosts. 
Beans are an excellent cash crop, with a well established mar¬ 
ket and market facilities. 
In Colorado the chief market bean is the pinto. Navies, 
teparies and the Red Mexican or Red Miner are grown to some 
extent. 
Many beans are being grown under contracts with seed houses. 
These beans represent a number of different varieties produced 
for seed, because of peculiar advantages for clean seed which the 
semi-arid climate possesses. The chief danger of seed bean con¬ 
tracts is injury to standard markets by growers attempting to 
throw rejected seed onto the standard markets. 
Beans are a hot weather crop, consequently, they should not 
be planted until frost danger is past. In most localities this will 
be approximately June 1st. 
Planting should be shallow. Planting may be done preferably 
with the regular bean planters. Corn planters with bean plates 
may be used. The ordinary grain drill, stopping the proper num- 
. ber of holes, is feasible where necessity requires. 
Beans are a shallow-rooted crop. Consequently, the first cul¬ 
tivation should be the deeper. Later cultivation should be as shal¬ 
low as the first cultivation, or even shallower. Cultivation should 
not be over 3 inches. 
In irrigated districts, beans should be irrigated so as to keep 
the beans growing. A very dark green color is generally indica¬ 
tive of a need of water. Beans should not be irrigated later than 
full bloom on most soils, as later irrigation will delay maturity 
