118 AMERICAX VAEIETIES OF GAKDEN BEANS. 



on outside between seeds, about b\ inches long, and usually containing 5 seeds fairly 

 separated in pod. Dry pods generally easy to thrash. Dry seeds large-medium, 

 proportionally short, roundish oval through cro&s section, invariably well rounded at 

 ends, rounded or full at eye, pale buff in color, freely splashed with purplish red. 



Comparison. — One of the lesser grown pole varieties. Apparently cultivated only 

 in New England. Decidedly the most handsomely splashed and earliest of the Hor- 

 ticultural class, but for a main crop variety either Brockton or London Horticultural 

 Pole is much more productive and desiral)le for green shell beans than any other 

 of the Horticultural class. Usable as snaps for only a short time and generally of little 

 value for that purpose. Most like Brockton Pole, differing principally in season, size, 

 absence of string, and shortness of point. 



History. — Introduced in 1902 by Ross Brothers, who state the variety originated 

 with gardeners in the vicinity of Worcester, Mass., where it is locally known as Little 

 Gem and Little Wonder. 



Illustrations. — Dry seeds are illustrated on Plate I, 8, and green shell pods on 

 Plate XV, 1. 



KENTUCKY WONDER POLE. 



Listed by 125 seedsmen. Seeds tested: Armsby, 1906; Ferry, 1898, 1900, 1903, 

 1905; Grenell, 1903; Lompoc, 1905, 1906; McClure, 1903; Rice, 1905, 1906; Rout- 

 zahn, 1905: Thorburn, 1897, 1901, 1902. 



Description. — Vine of small-medium growth, of good climbing habit, moderately 

 branched, slender stemmed, open in habit, gr<?en throughout, very early, of short 

 bearing period, moderately productive. Leaf medium in size, medium gi-een in 

 color. Flowers white. Snap pods uniform in size, very long, decidedly scimiter 

 curved, much bent back at extreme stem end, much curved inward at tip end, 

 round through cross section, deeply creasebacked, medium green in color, of very 

 coarse and imdulating surface, extremely brittle; slightly stringy, without fiber, 

 of good quality, fairly free from anthracnose. Point of pod short and curved. 

 Green shell pods early tinged with pink, somewhat splashed with red, very much 

 depressed on outside between seeds, of much wrinkled and undulated surface, about 

 8| inches long, and usually containing 8 to 10 seeds fairly separated in pod. Dry 

 pods very easy to thrash. Dry seeds of large-medium size, long, oval-triangular 

 through cross section, rounded or slightly truncate at ends, straight or slightly incurved 

 at eye, somewhat irregular in shape, sometimes bent on one side and bulged out on 

 other, solid chamois in color quickly fading to dark fawn, always with minute red- 

 dish area around eye. 



Comparison. — By far the liest known and most generally cultivated pole variety. 

 Largely and successfully grown in all parts of the country. Ranks equally with 

 ^\^lite Creaseback and Burger's Stringless as one of the best early pole snap beans 

 for home or market, though as a main crop variety or for strictly green shell beans 

 there are other more productive sorts. Variety easily identified by its peculiarly 

 wrinkled surface and great length of pods, which are similar to Tennessee Wonder and 

 also resemble Black Kentucky Wonder in respect to the wrinkled surface. 



Synonyms. — American Sickle Pole, Archias's Improved Kentucky Wonder Pole, 

 \ Eastern Wonder Pole, Georgia Monstrous Pole, Monstrous-Podded Southern Prolific 

 Pole, Old Homestead Pole, Texas Prolific Pole. 



History. — First listed by American seedsmen about 1875. 



Illvsf rat ions. — A cross section of gi-een shell pod is shown on Plate V, 25, and green 

 shell pods on Plate XV, 2. 



LAZY WIFE POLE. 



Listed by 131 seedsmen. Seeds tested: Armsby, 1906; Biupee, 1900; Ferry, 1903; 

 May, 1897, 1905, 1906; Rice, 1906; Thorburn, 1901, 1902, 1905; Wood, 1897. 



109 



