Beans In Colorado 
II 
is a little moist and the vines moist, the young vines will be found to 
be quite brittle so that harrowing will break off a large number. With 
the surface of the soil rather dry and the plants dry, the young plants 
are tough and will stand harrowing. 
Some of the weeders on the market are excellent tools to use al 
this time. 
The first cultivation with the regular cultivator should be the 
deepest. This first cultivation should not be over 3 to 4 inches deep. 
Later cultivations should be as deep or slightly shallower than the first 
cultivation. When the first cultivation is made, the roots have not ex¬ 
tended very far into the space between rows. The stirring of the sur¬ 
face layer at that time by the cultivator makes a dry layer on top. If 
this IS maintained the beans will root below the dry layer. Cultivation 
should be aimed primarily to keep down weeds and prevent the forma¬ 
tion of a crust. Usually all cultivation should cease by the time the 
first pods commence to set. Sometimes the plants have grown enough 
so that cultivation should cease before this time. Care should be taken 
never to cultivate when the young bean plants are wet, as they are 
easily broken at such times, and when so broken are very susceptible 
to certain bean diseases. Under irrigated conditions cultivation should 
follow irrigation, as soon as the surface moisture and the plants will 
permit. The aim should be to prevent the loss of water by cultivation 
rather than to furnish water b}^ excessive irrigation. 
Irrigating Beans. —A study has been made of bean irrigation in 
eight Colorado counties. This study shows conclusively that it is fully 
as easy to over-irrigate beans as to under-irrigate them. As an average 
of all results detained, two irrigations give higher vields than three or 
more irrigations. There was some difference as to quality of land; 
very open gravelly lands would stand more irrigation than sandy loams, 
loams and clay loams. 
In irrigated districts which have a low precipitation and where 
crops must usually be irrigated up, it is good practice, especially on 
loam, clay and adobe soils, to irrigate the land before planting, thoroly 
w^atering the land at this irrigation. Just as soon as the soil can be 
worked after the irrigation, the soil should be harrowed, or disked 
and harrowed, leveled and planted. Cultivation should be depended 
upon to conserve the water supply. Irrigated in this way, two irriga¬ 
tions are more effective than three applied after the beans are planted. 
Cultivation should be resorted to rather than irrigation, to conserve the 
water supply. 
In irrigated regions beans should be given water when they show 
a need for water, namely, when the plants show a very dark green and 
commence to wilt during hot periods of the day. If the plants are 
night green and growing vigorously, irrigation may often be delayed 
tmless it is necessary to irrigate to get the water. 
