The Field and Garden Vegetables of America Part 91

WHITE-FLOWERED CHICKLING VETCH.

A variety with white flowers and seeds. The foliage is also much paler than that of the Common Chickling Vetch.

Other species of the genus also produce farinaceous seeds suitable for food, but in too small quant.i.ties to admit of being profitably cultivated in this country.

ENGLISH BEAN.

Horse-bean. Garden-bean, of the English. Vicia faba.

[Ill.u.s.tration: English Bean.]

The English Bean differs essentially from the Common American Garden or Kidney Bean usually cultivated in this country; and is cla.s.sed by botanists under a different genera, and not as a distinct species, as intimated in the "American Gardener." Aside from the great difference in their general appearance and manner of growth, the soil, climate, and mode of cultivation, required by the two cla.s.ses, are very dissimilar: the American Garden-bean thriving best in a light, warm soil, and under a high temperature; and the English Bean in stiff, moist soil, and in cool, humid seasons.

The English Bean is a native of Egypt, and is said to be the most ancient of all the now cultivated esculents. It is an annual plant, with an upright, smooth, four-sided, hollow stem, dividing into branches near the ground, and growing from two to four feet and upwards in height. The leaves are alternate, pinnate, and composed of from two to four pairs of oval, smooth, entire leaflets; the flowers are large, nearly stemless, purple or white, veined and spotted with purplish-black; the pods are large and downy; the seeds are rounded, or reniform, flattened, and vary to a considerable extent in size and color in the different varieties,--they will vegetate until more than five years old.

_Soil and Planting._--As before remarked, the English Bean requires a moist, strong soil, and a cool situation; the princ.i.p.al obstacles in the way of its successful cultivation in this country being the heat and drought of the summer. The seeds should be planted early, in drills two feet asunder for the smaller-growing varieties, and three feet for the larger sorts; dropping them about six inches from each other, and covering two inches deep. A quart of seed will plant about a hundred and fifty feet of row or drill.

_Cultivation._--"When the plants have attained a height of five or six inches, they are earthed up slightly for support; and, when more advanced, they are sometimes staked along the rows, and cords extended from stake to stake to keep the plants erect. When the young pods appear, the tops of the plants should be pinched off, to throw that nourishment, which would be expended in uselessly increasing the height of the plant, into its general system, and consequently increase the bulk of crop, as well as hasten its maturity. This often-recommended operation, though disregarded by many, is of very signal importance."--_M'Int._

_Taking the Crop._--The pods should be gathered for use when the seeds are comparatively young, or when they are of the size of a marrowfat-pea. As a general rule, all vegetables are most tender and delicate when young; and to few esculents does this truth apply with greater force than to the cla.s.s of plants to which the English Bean belongs.

_Use._--The seeds are used in their green state, cooked and served in the same manner as sh.e.l.led kidney-beans. The young pods are sometimes, though rarely, used as string-beans.

_Varieties._--

DUTCH LONG POD.

Plant from four to five feet high, dividing into two or three branches; flowers white; pods horizontal, or slightly pendulous, six or seven inches long, about an inch in width, three-fourths of an inch thick, and containing five or six large white or yellowish-white seeds.

Not early, but prolific, and of good quality.

DWARF FAN, OR Cl.u.s.tER.

Early Dwarf. Bog-bean.

A remarkably dwarfish, early variety, much employed in forcing. Stem about a foot high, separating near the ground into two or three branches; flowers white; the pods, which are produced in cl.u.s.ters near the top of the plant, are almost cylindrical, three inches long, three-fourths of an inch thick, and contain three or four small, oblong, yellow seeds.

It is one of the smallest and earliest of the English Beans, and yields abundantly.

EARLY DWARF CRIMSON-SEEDED. _Vil._

Vilmorin's Dwarf Red-seeded.

Plant sixteen inches high, separating into two or three divisions, or branches; the flowers resemble those of the Common varieties, but are somewhat smaller; the pods are erect, three inches and a half long, three-fifths of an inch wide, half an inch thick, and contain three or four seeds, closely set together, and nearly as large in diameter as the pod.

The ripe seeds are bright brownish-red or crimson, thick, shortened at the back, and depressed at the sides: six hundred and fifty will measure a quart.

The variety is princ.i.p.ally esteemed for its dwarfish habit and early maturity.

EARLY MAZAGAN.

Early Malta.

This variety, though originally from Mazagan, on the coast of Africa, is one of the hardiest sorts now in cultivation. Stem from two to three feet high, and rather slender; pods four to five inches long, containing four or five whitish seeds.

The Early Mazagan is much less productive than many other sorts; but its hardiness and earliness have secured it a place in the garden, and it has been cultivated more or less extensively for upwards of a century.

EVERGREEN LONG POD. _M'Int._

Green Genoa. Green Long Pod. Green Nonpareil.

This variety grows from three to four feet high. The pods are long, somewhat flattened, and generally contain four rather small, oblong, green seeds. It is an excellent bearer, of good quality, and but a few days later than the Common Long Pod. The variety is much esteemed on account of the fine, green color of the beans; which, if gathered at the proper time, retain their green color when dressed.

In planting, make the drills three feet apart, and two inches and a half deep; and allow two plants for each linear foot.

GREEN CHINA.

From two to two feet and a half high; pods long, cylindrical, containing three or four beans, which remain of a green color when dry. It is recommended for its great productiveness and late maturity.

GREEN JULIENNE. _Vil._

Plant about three feet and a half high, usually divided into four branches; the pods are erect, four inches long, three-fourths of an inch thick, and contain two or three small, oblong, green seeds.

Early and of good quality.

GREEN WINDSOR.

Toker.

Stem three feet high, separating into two, and sometimes three, branches; flowers white; pods erect, often horizontal, four inches and a half long, an inch and a quarter wide, and containing three large, green, nearly circular, and rather thick seeds.

The latter retain their fresh, green color till near maturity, and, to a considerable extent, when fully ripe; and, on this account, are found in the market, and used at table, after most other varieties have disappeared.

The variety resembles the Common Broad Windsor; but the seeds are smaller, and retain their green color after maturity. Eleven or twelve well-developed seeds will weigh an ounce.

HORSE-BEAN. _Law._

Scotch Bean. Faba vulgaris arvensis.