BEAN, 85 
and refreshing, and perfect in rhythm,” that he admiringly 
declared, “I shall put him first of my hundred authors.” 
The common Bean is particularly rich in proteids (like animal 
food), and contains also much fatty matter, but very little starch ; 
for which reason it makes an admirable substitute for bread in 
diabetes, a flour being prepared from it, and kneaded into loaves, 
or biscuits. 
Lentils (the Zens esculenta), which are a leguminous pulse 
of allied nature with beans, contain but little sulphur, and 
therefore do not provoke flatulence as beans and peas are apt 
to do. The plant (Hrvum lens) is cultivated freely in Egypt 
for the sake of its seeds, which grow in numerous pods, and are 
flat on both sides. Three kinds are sold in Great Britain— 
Indian, Egyptian, and German, the two former being red. In 
France this pulse is much eaten during Lent, and is supposed 
by some to give its name to the penitential season, men becoming 
under its subduing dietary influence “‘ Lentz, et lenes.” About 
the year 1840 a Mr. Wharton sold the flour of Lentils (under the 
title of Ervaienta), which was then of a primrose colour. He 
failed in his enterprise, and Mr. Du Barry took up the business 
with success, but substituting the red Arabian Lentil for the 
yellow German pulse. Jacob’s mess of pottage which he bartered 
te Esau for his birthright was, it is believed, prepared from the 
red Lentil; and the same food was the bread of Ezekiel. Phos- 
phates abound in the Lentil, which are restorative, but liable to 
become deposited by the kidneys, together with such other 
earthy salts as are taken in the foods, or water; therefore 
lemon-juice, or orange-juice, is a desirable addition to Lentils 
at tabie. When in blossom the plant is a good source of honey 
for bees. ‘fo make Lentil soup, take half a pound of uncrushed 
Lentils, one carrot (chopped), three onions, one leek, two pounds 
of parsnips, an ounce of chopped parsley, pepper, salt, a dessert- 
spoonful of brown sugar, and three large crusts of bread. Wash, 
and pick the Lentils, and soak them all night; then boil them 
(with a little soda) in a large saucepan for three hours, press them 
through a colander, heat up again, and serve. The soup 
concocted in this way is delicious. Mr. Gibson Ward, writing 
to The Times some years ago, spoke of Lentil soup as 
the best potage possible, the Lentils only needing to be 
washed, soaked, and boiled furiously for three or four hours ; 
then, if put before the epicure, without remark, this would be 
