164 



Dwarf Limas : Wonder, Wood Prolific. Climbing wax-pods : Golden 

 Carmine, Kentucky Wonder Wax, Climbing green-pods : Scotia, 

 Black Kentucky Wonder, Wliite Prolific, Powell Prolific, Arlington 

 Red Cranberry, Brockton. Climbing Limas : Ideal, Leviathan. 



Classification. 



George von Martens^ was the first to attempt a monograph of 

 garden beans. In his classification, published in i860, the common 

 beans {Phaseohis vulgaris) are separated into seven species, accord- 

 ing to the shape of the seed. Another species embraces the " fire 

 beans" {Phaseohis multiflorus) . A secondary division is based 

 ujjon the color of seed. 



In 1882-3, Wing- described 102 varieties representing four 

 genera. „ > 



In 1895-6, Bailey^ described all forms of Lima beans known to 

 him at that time. 



In 1901, Irish'* described all obtainable forms as grown at the 

 Missouri Botanical Gardens. The list included both American and 

 European varieties, and represented five genera and eight species.* 



A classification based upon the habit of growth — whether dwarf 

 or climbing — would appear to be the most natural method. Lin- 

 naeus and De Candolle used such characters in separating species. 

 Dwarf varieties are so easily induced to assume the running habit 

 that we have all degrees of climbing, and there now seems to be 

 no sharp line of distinction. Seedsmen and gardeners, however, 

 use this character in grouping varieties. Beans may be classed ac- 

 cording to their uses. String or snap beans refer to those which are 

 used for the edible pod ; green-shell beans, to those which are used 

 in the green shelled condition; and dry-shell beans or ripe seed, 

 to those used in the dry state. Beans are often classed according to 

 the color of pods, as, green podded and yellozv or zcax podded. 

 Growers are accustomed also to speak of classes of beans, such as 

 the horticultural class, characterized by tlieir smooth, flat, dark 

 colored leaves and large tumid seeds ; the foreing class, character- 



* Note. — Since the preparation of the manuscript for this bulletin there 

 has been published by the United States Department of Agricuhure a bulletin 

 (Bur. of P. Ind. 109) on the subject of " Garden Beans.'' The author, Mr. 

 W. W. Tracy, Jr., here furnishes a table for the determination of varieties 

 based upon plant, pod, and seed characters. 



^ Geo. von Martens, Die Gartenbohnen (i860). 



'H. H. Wing, Rpt. N. Y. Exp. Sta. 1:89-119 (1882); 2: 235-259 (1883). 



'L. H. Bailey, Cornell Exp. Sta. Bui. 87 (1895); 115 (1896). 



*H. C. Irish, Rpt. Missouri Bot. Gard. 12:81 (1901). 



