CHAPTER XII. 



LEGUMINOUS PLANTS. BEANS; PEAS; 

 LENTILS; VETCHES; AND LUPINES. 



352. This class of plants derives its name from the seeds producing 

 tegumin, a substance identical in composition with the casein (or cheese) 

 of milk ; corresponding with the gluten (or nitrogenous compound) of 

 the cereals. It is formed of Oxygen, Hydrogen, Carbon, and Nitrogen, 

 with Phosphate of Lime and Sulphur incorporated ; but the exact 

 quantities do not appear to be accurately ascertained. (Carpenter.} 



353. Under this head several botanical genera are included, 

 most of them natives of temperate climates; and there are 

 many varieties produced by cultivation. The following may be 

 enumerated as those chiefly used by man : 



Common or English bean, Faba vulgaris 



including Field beans, Sow, Horse, Gar 

 den beans, &amp;lt;fec. 



Kidney beans, Phaseolus vulgaris. 



Lima beans, Phaseolus lunatus. 



with several other species and varieties. 

 ( D,) Common lentil, Ervum lens. 



(Ej) Bastard lentil, Ervum Ervilia. 



(F,) One flowered lentil, Ervum monanthos. 



Chick pea, Cicer arietinum* 



Common pea, Pisum sativum. 



with several species and varieties. 



This long cultivated pea as found by Capt. Stansbary s party, growing wild in 

 the Interior of Oregon, and in the vufleys of the Utah, in sandy bottom land. (Explo 

 ration, p. 335.) It is a native of the South of Europe, and is grown in India under tbr 

 name of Gram. It has always been supposed to require a hot climate. 



