at the same time, not to loosen their roots. If any needs stand in the rows, pull them out with the hand ; afterwards earth-up the plants with the small swing plough, or run the scraper in the intervals, as may seem expedient. Both ways arc eligible ; but, when properly earthed up, some people are of opinion, that the plants are nourished by the operation ; while others think, that the benefit gained in that way is counterbalanced by the extra trouble attendant upon cutting the crop, the bottom being necessarily more unequal, than when the scraper is employed to conclude the cleaning pro cess.
Harvest Management.—Before beans are cut, the grain ought to be tolerably well ripened, otherwise the quality is impaired, whilst a long time is required to put the straw in such a condition as to be preserved in the stack. In an early harvest, or where the crop is not weighty, it is an easy matter to get beans sufficiently ripened ; but, in a late harvest, and in every one where the crop takes on a second growth, it is scarcely practi cable to get them thoroughly ripened for the sickle. Un der these circumstances, it is unnecessary to let beans stand uncut alter the end of September or the first of October ; because any benefit, that can be gained after wards, is not to be compared with the disadvantages that accompany a late wheat seed-time. Beans are usu ally cut, with the sickle, and tied in sheaves, either with straw ropes, or with ropes made from pease sown along with them. It is proper to let the sheaves lie untied several days, so that the winning process may be hast ened, and, when tied, to set them up on end, in order that full benefit from the air may be obtained, and the grain kept off the ground. In building bean stacks, it is an useful measure, for preserving both grain and straw from injury, to keep an opening in the centre, and to convey air from the extremity by a bole, or funnel. Beans, on the whole, are a troublesome crop to the farmer, though of great utility in other respects. With out them heavy soils can scarcely be managed with ad vantage, unless summer fallow is resorted to once in four years ; but, by the aid derived from drilled beans, summer fallow may be avoided for eight or ten years, whilst the ground, at that period, will be found in equal, if not superior condition.
Produce.—Beans, where proper management is exer cised, and natural diseases avoided, are generally a crop of considerable value, yielding from 32 to 40 bushels per Scottish acre. The straw, especially when mixed with pease, is also of great advantage to the working stock, affording almost as much nourishment, when pro perly harvested, as is gained from hay of ordinary qual ity. The broad-cast crops are sometimes of equal value with those that are drilled ; but the true object of beans being to prepare the ground for the admission of another crop of much greater value, it follows, of course, that every mode of cultivating them, which precludes the ground from being suitably cleaned, ought to be repro bated and condemned by the practical agriculturist, who wishes to keep his land constantly in good order, and under a rotation of crops, capable of yielding the largest return at the least possible expense.
It has been disputed, whether broad or narrow inter vals are most advantageous, and the latter mode has been chiefly adopted in the English bean districts, though evidently hostile to perfect culture. Ilancl-hoeing is therefore generally resorted to, though that operation, at the best, is of small avail on clay soils. Whether by the use of narrow or broad intervals, the weightiest crop can be raised, seems, at first sight problematical ; doubts on this point, occasioned its many years ago to make trials to ascertain the most proper distance, and the result of these trials shall now be detailed.
We marked off an acre cf ground, the soil a light free loam, which had carried a crop of oats the prece ding year. It was deep ploughed in winter, and re ceived dung previous to the seed-furrow, which was given as shallow as possible, in order that the plants might have sufficient soil to strike down their roots. It was divided into three parts. Part No. I. was drilled with intervals of 27 inches, or, in other words, the bar row followed every third plough. No. 2. was drilled af ter the second plough, which reduced the intervals to 20 inches, or thereby. No. 3. had intervals of the same breadth as No. 1.; but two rows stood together, or in each furrow, which gave about the same number of drills as stood on part No. 2., and about one-third more than part. No. 1. They were sufficiently harrowed immedi ately before brairding, carciully hand-hoed afterwards, and finally bulked up with a neat double-moulded-board plough, which performed the work in a very perfect manner. The ci op at harvest was good ; but, when cut, the stalk was smaller, and the pods not so well filled, upon those which occupied No. 2., as upon the other two divisions, where the intervals were wider, and con sequently a trecr admission given to the air, which we have since found to be necessary in the culture of every article of the leguminous kind. When the crop was thrashed, it was found that one firlot more beans were upon No. 1. than upon No. 2. ; and No. 3. only returned the same produce as No. I., though it contained several more drills ; besides, owing to the double rows, it was nothing like so well cleaned. The inferences drawn at the time, and which have since guided our conduct in this branch of husbandry, were, I st, That a certain por tion of air was required to bring beans to perfection ; and that the quantity to be procured, when the intervals were only 18 or 20 inches, was not sufficient for that pur pose. 2d, That intervals less than 27 inches would not admit the full benefit of ploughing, which is a chief ob ject in the drill husbandry. And lastly, That double rows, with wide intervals, were not advantageous, as they neither returned a greater produce, nor allowed the ground to be so well cleaned as single rows.