140 THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. [CHAP. VI. 



the pods of which are of a pale colour, and 

 without any tough lining. This variety is culti- 

 vated in France under the names of Haricot 

 beurre, and Haricot aV Alger. The soil for 

 the dwarf kinds should be similar to that for 

 peas ; viz. rich, light, and dry, but not newly 

 manured ; and it should have been well pul- 

 verised to the depth of a foot or eighteen inches. 

 The drills are generally made about two inches 

 deep, and two feet or two feet and a half apart. 

 The seeds are sown the first or second week in 

 May. As the plants grow, they may be earthed 

 up ; and, if the plants are very vigorous and 

 appear disposed to run to haulm, a few of the 

 leading shoots may have their tops pinched off; 

 but this should be done carefully, and the ope- 

 ration confined to a few of the strongest-grow- 

 ing plants. The scarlet runners require nearly 

 the same culture, except that the seeds should 

 be sown two or three inches asunder, and only 

 lightly covered ; and that the rows should be at 

 least three feet apart. The seeds are covered 

 lightly, as abundance of both air and moisture 

 is required to make seeds enveloped in so thick 

 a skin germinate ; and the rows must be wide 

 apart, as otherwise, from the height of the 

 plants, the crop would not get enough sun and air. 

 The scarlet runner is properly a perennial ; and, 

 if the plants are cut down to the ground after 

 producing their crop, and their roots are covered 

 with dry litter, they will produce an early and 

 abundant crop the following summer. Kidney- 

 beans are very frequently forced nearly in the 

 same manner as peas ; viz. by sowing them in 

 pots plunged in a hotbed, and then removing 



