216 BlMTlSn HUSBANDRY. [Ch. XV. 



of the apliis, and in a couple of days great mischief may thus be avoided*. 

 The buds sliould be carried off tlie ground; and tlierefore, perhaps a better 

 method tlinn that of cutting the lieads is to employ women and children to 

 pinch them off and deposit them in a bag, or in an apron tied round tliem, 

 until they collect sufficient to fill a cart. This may appear a tedious and 

 expensive process, but if sufficient })ersons be employed, and thev pinch 

 ■with both hands, the work will be more exjjeditiously performed, and with 

 less cost than may be generally imagined ; but were both the charge and 

 labour doubled, they should not be grudged, as they may be the saving of 

 the crop. 



The weight of the common bean is generally about 64 lbs. per bushel, 

 and the nutritive matter which it contains lias been estimated by Sir 

 Humphry Davy as consisting of 570 parts in 1000, containing — 

 426 parts of mucilage; and 

 103 „ of gluten. 



Although many varieties of peas have been produced by gardeners for 

 tlie use of the table, and several different sorts are grown for the same pur- 

 pose by farmers who reside in the neighbourhood of great towns, yet those 

 commonly known as field-crops, and sold in a dried state as grain, are of 

 only two species, and are usually distinguished as the " grey or hog-pea," 

 and the "white or boiling pea ;" though the former are of two sorts, and the 

 latter of numberless kinds, named, like many other vegetable productions, 

 either after the persons who iiave brought them into notice, or the places in 

 which they have been first cultivated. 



The grey hog-pease differ in their habits of ripening, one being earlier 

 than the other, and, admilting of being put later into the ground, are 

 known as cold and hot seed ; the former ripening late, and requiring to be 

 sown early, while the latter comes sooner to maturity, and may be sown so 

 late as the end of April, The cold seed produces the most haulm, and it is 

 frequently sown along with beans, under the name of " polts" and *' blend- 

 ings," in the proportion of perhaps one-fourth, as their upright stalks afford 

 support to the young plants, and assist in the increase of shade imparted 

 to the ground ; but when grown separately, the produce of grain is uncer- 

 tain, while the liot-seed, which is of a dwarf species, seldom fails to yield 

 a decent crop. The seeds of both sorts are small, and of various shades, of 

 a dingy colour ; but the blossoms are invariably purple. 



The white boiling-pease — known severally as the " early Charlton," 

 the " golden hotspur," the marrowfat," and the " Prussian blue" — are 

 those kinds which, when allowed to stand until ripe, are used in families, as 

 well as largely in the navy, as split-peas. They are of a larger size than 

 the grey kind, come earlier to maturity, and usually bear white flowers. 

 They indeed ])artake so much of the garden species, that they are largely 

 grown by regular husbandmen with the intent of being podded and sent to 

 market in a green state. 



The operation of podding is performed by poor persons of every descrip- 

 tion, but chiefly women, who come from different parts of the country 

 about the time of haymaking, and pick them by the bushel. The scene, 

 though not very conducive to the morality of the peasantry, is yet one of 

 bustle and cheerfulness ; but is attended with the inconvenience of bringing 



* Yon Thaer, Priiic. Rais. d'Agric., 2de edit. tom. iv. p. 200. De Crudj Econ. de 

 rAgiic.j 4to. p. 238. 



