Cultivation of Arable Land.— Beans. 597

In other bean diftri€ts, as in Berkffire, where they fow triple rows at eight or nine inches, and leave intervals of two furrows 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 moift feafon being chofen for the bufinefs. After this the ridges are to be har- rowed by means of a triangular harrow, by which the fuperficial parts of the foil are rendered light and mellow, fo as to admit the lateral fibres to{hoot in it with facility, and draw forth fupport for the crop more effectually.

The manuring of the land is found from a€tual trials to be of very great ad- vantage in the culture of this fort of crop; as even a very fmall portion of it, as from thirty to forty loads, of about eighteen bufhels each, has been found of fervice both in promoting the crop and preventing the beans from becoming what is termed rofée-headed*. It has likewife been found, that by preparing the ridges in the manner that has been defcribed above, and including manure in the middle of them, the feed may be put in much fooner than when they are flat and broad; and that by the ufe of the horfe-hoe, the plants tiller more,, the crops are forwarder, and fubje& to lefs injury from the attacks of infects+.

In fome diftri€ts it is the praétice to fow beans and peas together, or what is termed blexdings; but this is moftly an improper method, as plants of different forts never ripen well or equally together.

In fuch fummers as are dry, beans are frequently liable to be much injured by the attacks of the black fly, or what is often termed the dolphin, the whole field in particular cafes being in danger of being deftroyed in the courfe of a few days. In order to prevent this mifchief, it is the pra€tice in fome places to cut off the tops by means of a fcythe or other fharp implement, as it is moftly on the tops of the plants that the infe&t firft appears. When this method is adopted, it fhould be performed on the very firft appearance of the fly, other wife little benefit can be produced; as perhaps by removing the firft, infects that: fhew themfelves, their propagation may in fome degree be prevented.

The blight likewife fometimes proves deftruétive to the bean: crops about June or July, when the weather is hot and. foggy in. the day with cold nights. In this cafe the bloffoms fall off, and no pods are formed. But though much injury may often be done in this way, the crops fometimes turn out better than was expeCted; they fhould not therefore be given up too haftily.

The ripening of the beans is fhewn by the pods.or hids. turning of a black co-

* Annals of Agriculture, vol. 1X.+ Correéted Report of Middlefex.