428 VILLA GAEDENING I'AIit v 



a dwarf free-bearing kind, well adapted for planting on south 

 borders to come in early. I prefer the Green Windsor for late 

 use to any of the broad forms of the Windsors, the last being, 

 in my estimation, too coarse to send to table, as well as being bad 

 in colour. Those three varieties will satisfy most people who look 

 for quality only, but for exhibition the large-podded kinds must 

 be grown, the best of these being the Seville Longpod and Carter's 

 Mammoth ; Hardie's Pedigree and Taylor's Broad Windsor may 

 be gi-owu by those who like large Beans. 



Dwarf French Bean. — Though not as a rule so highly 

 esteemed as the Scarlet Runners, this is a most valuable summer 

 vegetable. To have it in the best possible condition jDlant thinly, 

 and pick all pods as they become fit for use. Thick planting and 

 leaving the pods till they become too old for use stops further pro- 

 duction. This Bean is especially valuable for small gardens, because 

 it will grow anywhere, and involves no expense for supports. 



The early crop should be planted in a warm sunny position on 

 a south border or at the foot of a south wall about the middle of 

 April. When they come up shelter them with a few low branches, 

 and draw up a ridge of soil on each side as a fm-ther shelter. 

 Draw drills 2 inches deep and plant the Beans 6 inches apart in 

 single rows. I have seen these Beans sown in the drills like Peas ; 

 but this is a great mistake, as each plant, if it is expected to do 

 its best, shoidd have a separate and independent existence. In 

 no other way can it acquire the necessary strength and vigour to 

 be lastingly productive. The second sowing may be made in the 

 open quarter about the first of May. The early crop should be 

 composed of early varieties, of which there are now a great many 

 kinds, but the Beans are mostly small. The second sowing should 

 be of such kinds as the Negro Longpod, and the main crop, which 

 will follow in succession, being ^^lanted at intervals of three weeks 

 or so from the 1st of May till the end of June, should be the 

 Canadian Wonder. This variety I believe to be the best ; it bears 

 a long pod, which does not get tough so soon as many sorts do. 

 The extent of the sowings must depend upon the demand. A pint 

 of seed, in the second or third week in April, will plant a good- 

 sized bed. For small gardens probably half a pint will be enough, 

 if planted thinly, for the first crop, as the second, planted in the 

 beginning of May, will follow closely. With this second crop it 

 is a good plan to include one or more of the later kinds ; indeed, I 

 generally plant three kinds, which usually form a good succession 

 if rightly selected. Say, for instance, we plant one or more rows 

 of the early Newingtons, or Osborn's Forcing, the same quantity 

 each of the Negro Longpod and Canadian Wonder : we shall then 



