New York AaricuLttuRAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 547 
make a shipment, but as a rule the tables of shipment afford a fair 
comparison of the earliness, productiveness of first-class speci- 
mens, and length of the shipping season. Shipments of each 
vegetable were commonly made as long as it continued to pro-— 
duce good market specimens. 7 
It should be noted that the first shipment of early lettuce and 
radishes was delayed several days because of instructions from 
Chicago stating that no shipments should be made till further 
notice. With the above exceptions the vegetables were shipped 
as soon as they were in good marketable condition. » With peas, 
lettuce, cress, corn and other vegetables a succession of fresh 
vegetables was secured throughout the season by making suc- 
cessive plantings. 
No effort was made at any time to have the vegetables ready — 
for shipment before their natural season of maturity in this 
locality. 
Beans. 
Bush beans.— The soil on which the bush beans were grown 
was given a light dressing of well rotted stable manure before 
being plowed. After being plowed it was thoroughly pulverized 
and made very mellow. The seed was sown in drills two feet 
apart. The beans were dropped about two inches apart in a fur- 
row made with the rake or hoe, varying in depth from one and a 
half to two inches, according to the size of the seed. The 
smaller seeds were planted more shallow than were the varieties 
of large-sized beans. The seed was covered by pressing the 
soil firmly against it with the feet. The operation was per- 
_ formed by putting the feet close together on each side of the 
open drill and with short steps tramping the entire length of the 
drill, thus crowding the fresh dirt upon the seeds, then returning 
the full length of the drill, tramping on top of the covered seed. 
_. Failure to secure a good stand not only with beans but also with 
_ other seeds sometimes results when the seed is covered loosely, 
because the soil around the seed is allowed to become dry and 
hard. Pressing of the soil firmly about the seed may seem like 
a very unimportant matter, but it is really very important. The 
soil may be made sufficiently firm by the method above described. 
3 This method was used here with all kinds of seed planted in 
drills, even with lettuce an1 onions. 
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