123 



October 2.'itli to 9th NovcDiher, the following crop was gathered. 

 255 pods yielding 583 beans, of which 309 were kept for seed. 



After 0th November, a large number of pods were picked, but 

 many were found to be empty, or with abortive seeds, or in some 

 cases, germination had already started within the pods. The 

 fungus referred to above had now attacked this bed also, and none 

 of the beans, from that date, were kept for seed. 



So far, tlien, from lith October when cropping began, to 9th 

 November (i.e. from 75 to 101 days from date of sowing) the nett 

 result of the crop was : 



871 pods yielding 1921 beans of which 1233 (i.e. 64:%) were 

 kept for seed. This was obtained from 28 seeds sown at the origin, 

 on the 31st July, 1918, and corresponds to a yield of 31 pods and 

 ■6S beans for every seed sown. 



November loth. There are still a number of pods on the 

 plants but they are all, more or less, badly infested with maggots, 

 and very few are fit, even, to eat. The bed is to be dug up. (The 

 bed was not dug up as explained below). 



It may here be mentioned that the shells of the Lima bean 

 are quite uneatable, V)ut the bean itself affords a quite excellent 

 dish. 



The Lima is, I believe, not much thought of in Europe. De- 

 caisne does not recommend it : but it is held in high estimation in 

 America. 



If personal taste may find expression here, the writer's opinion 

 is that the bean is equal to the best French Soissons : it is farin- 

 aceous and melting in the mouth — and, in every way, most palate- 

 .able. 



Second Generatiois;. 

 Of the 1233 beans originally selected for seed, 556 had been 

 sown in 15 beds on the 24th October, 1918; but there were many 

 failures, and, on examining the remainder of the selected seeds, 

 the reason of these failures was revealed. It was found that, by 

 keeping, many of the beans selected as perfect for seed, developed 

 defects, which "were not, at first, apparent in the fresh beans. 

 Small speeks would appear under the skin of the beans, generally 

 on or near the rim, sometimes also round the eyes, which specks 

 very soon developed into a cancerous growth right through the 

 whole substance of the beans; and, a few days after the sowing of 

 such beans, it was found that, on opening, the two cotyledons were 

 eaten through and through with rot. 



This showed the necessity of keeping the beans for sometime 

 before sowing, to give time for the disease to reveal itself, and, 

 henceforth, all the beans underwent at least ten days' drying, 

 during which a second and a third selection was gone through. 

 The drying of the beans must take place in the shade, for the 

 skin of the Lima is not thick, and if put out in the hot sun, the 

 skins are apt to crack. 



