i8i 



Phaseolus vulgaris, L.^ 

 (The Common Bean.) 



The comniou bean (kidney bean of the EngHsh, haricot of the 

 French) for a long time was thought to be of Indian origin, but is 

 now considered to be indigenous to South America. It was probably 

 cultivated by the aborigines of tropical America, and has become a 

 very widely cultivated food plant. It is used for snap, green-shell, 

 and dry-shell purposes. The following description is after Irish 



(I- c.) : 



" Plant subglabrous, dwarf or climbing 6 feet or more. Leaflets 

 ovate-acuminate, often oblique. Flowers in racemes shorter than 

 the leaves, white or purplish violet, medium size. Pods flattened 

 to subcylindrical, straight or curved, more or less turgid. Seed 

 variable in size, shape and color." 



D\^'ARF Wax-Podded \^\rieties. 



Bismarck 



Synonyms. — Bismarck Black Wax, Buist's Bismarck. 



History. — Introduced into this country from Germany about 1890 by 

 Robert Buist Company. 



Description. — Plant strictly dwarf, 10 to 14 inches high, erect, stocky, 

 moderately compact, vigorous, moderately resistant to disease, moderately 

 early, productive. Branches very slightly tinged with purple. Leaflets medium 

 to large, rough, slightly crumpled, medium green in color and becoming red- 

 dish tinged. Flowers pink. Pods medium to large, 5J/2 to 6 inches long, 

 moderately slender, curved, round in cross section, long and slightly curved 

 point, six-seeded, medium yellow, stringy, slighly fibrous, fleshy, moderately 

 fine-grained, of fair quality, attractive. Dry seeds (i-.'^S x .7 x .6 cm.) 

 oblong-oval, abruptly rounded at ends, subcircular in cross section, solid 

 black. 



Comparison.— A little-known variety. In view of its productiveness, 

 hardiness and attractiveness it is a valuable market garden sort. Too 

 stringy and tough for home use. It resembles German Black Wax, differ- 

 ing chiefly in making a larger growth and in having larger and coarser 

 leaves, and larger and more regularly curved stringy pods. 



^Phaseolus vnh,oris, Lobel. I.e. Stirp. 2:50 (1591). — Tournef. Inst. 412 

 (1719).— Linn. Sp. PI. 723 (i753)-— (ed. Willd.) 3:1030 (1800).— Miller, 

 Gard. Diet. (1800).— DC. Prodr. 2:392 (1825).— Benth. Fl. Bras. 15:182 

 (1859). — Martens, Gartenbohnen 25 (i860). — Irish, Mo. Bot. Gard. Rpt. 

 12:93 (1901). — Bailey, Cyclop. Am. Hort. 4: 1296 (1906). 



Phaseolus nanus, Linn. Sp. PI. 1017 (1763). — (ed. Willd.) 3:1036 (iSco). 



Phaseolus comprcssus, DC. Prodr. 2:393 (1825). — Martens Gartenbohnen 

 39 (i860). 



Phaseolus ohlongus, Savi, DC. Prodr. 2:393 (1825).— Martens, Garten- 

 bohnen 50 (i860). 



Phaseolus saponaceus, Savi. DC. Prodr. 2:393 (1825). 



Phaseolus gonospermus, Savi, Martens, 1. c. 45. 



Phaseolus carinatus, Martens, 1. c. 49. 



Phaseolus cUlpiicus, Marten's, 1. c. 60. 



Phaseolus sphaericus, Martens, 1. c. 69. 



