132 FOOD-GRAINS OF INDIA. 



The garden and field beans of Europe are also grown in 

 India ; they are the seeds of Vicia Faba (L.), commonly known 

 as Faba vulgaris. They contain on an average about 25 per 

 cent, of albuminoids and 7*5 per cent, of fibre. These beans 

 are grown to a considerable extent in the North-West Provinces. 



THE VETCHLING. 

 Lathyrus sativus, L. 



Synonym Cicercula alata (Moench.). 



Hind. Khesdri, Kussiir, Kasari, Kassar-tiuri, Latri. Beng. Teyuri, Teora. Punjab 

 Chural. Sind Matar. 



A much-branched annual herb, having equally pinnate leaves ; 

 leaflets 2, linear or lanceolate. The pods are i% inch long, 

 4 to 5-seeded. It is spread through the Northern Provinces, 

 ascending from the plains of Bengal to 4,000 feet in Kumaun. 



The genus Lathyrus belongs to the tribe Viciese of the sub- 

 order Papilionaceae. There is another species, not an Indian 

 plant (L. tingitanus), which like L. sativus is extensively cultivated. 



This is a cold-weather or rabi crop, and is grown on land 

 unfitted for most other pulse. It is 1 sown in October and 

 November and reaped in March and April. 



COMPOSITIONT OF VETCHLINGS. 



The nutrient-ratio is here about i : 175, while the nutrient- 

 value is nearly 87. There is reason to suspect the occasional 

 presence, in injurious proportion, of a poisonous bitter principle 

 in this vetchling. It has a bad reputation, and is almost 

 universally regarded in Bengal as unwholesome, deranging 

 digestion, and producing dysentery, diarrhoea, and various skin 

 diseases. But some allowance must be made for the prejudice 

 of the Bengalese. It is most used by the poorer classes, being 



