127 



For that reason, given two beans of sound quality and of about- 

 the same weight, one of the boomerang-shape, the other of the 

 kidney-shape, the writer would choose, in preference, for sowing^ 

 purposes, the latter one, even if somewhat smaller in size. Time 

 will show whether the type breeds true. 



The im])ortance of a severe selection of seeds is very soon 

 ]:ealised by planting this bean. From 60 per cent of germinations 

 obtained in previous sowings, the latest sowings in the garden& 

 commonly show from 90 per cent and upward of germinations. 



Another very common feature in Lima beans are the striations 

 converging from the rim to the hilum (eye). 



These striations, much more marked on some beaus than on 

 others, are due to a tendency to reversion to the original red or 

 purple coloured type. Seeds showing that character in a marked 

 degree should be rejected for planting purposes, the purple coloured 

 type containing, it is said, prussic acid. 



If the beans are not destined to be planted, but merely for 

 table use, their character may differ, in some cases, very widely^ 

 from the description just given. In the first place, the pods should 

 be picked when they are of a light yellow colour, without waiting 

 for the shell to turn to khaki colour. The beans themselves, instead 

 of dead white, may be glossy, and the converging striations do not 

 matter. Lastly, the shape is also of secondary importance although 

 it affects the market value to some extent. 



The Bulletin of the Imperial Institute (Vol. 15, No. 4) con- 

 tains interesting reading on the subject of the Lima Bean or 

 " Rangoon white bean.'' The following figures speak for them- 

 selves : 



" Forms of Phaseolus lunatus are largely grown in Burma. 

 " The two most common forms grown in Burma are the red-seeded 

 " and the white-seeded kinds." 



'^' In Burma, Phaseolus lunatus, is a favourite crop for field 

 " cultivation, 340,000 acres being devoted to the white variety,, 

 ''and 94,000 acres to the red variety in 1916-1917." 



" The quantities and values of pulse, including peas, exported 

 "overseas from the Province during 1916-1917 were: 1,439,000 

 " cwt. value £791,208." 



" Of these quantities, 1,138,000 cwt. were exported to the 

 " United Kingdom." 



The large shipments to Peninsular India are not included in 

 the above. 



" Seeds are usually dropped into furrows in rows about 1 

 " to 1| ft. apart : they are also sometimes broad-casted, mixed 

 " with maize, and are covered with soil by harrowing. When sown 

 " with maize, the stems of the maize plants serve as supports to- 

 " the trailing stems of the beans, but when sown alone, the stems 

 " are allowed to trail over the ground. The crop generally takes 

 " five months to mature." 



The writer has tried experimentally the planting of Lima 

 beans with maize: but the result was somewhat disastrous, both 



