488 LEGUMINOUS PLANTS. 



SIEVA. 



Carolina. Saba. West-Indian. Small Lima. Carolina Sewee. 

 Phaseolus lunatus var. 



The Sieva is a variety of the Lima, and attains a height 

 of ten or twelve feet. The leaves and flowers resemble those 

 of the Common Lima. The pods, however, are much smaller, 

 and remarkable for their uniform size, generally measuring 

 three inches in length, and about seven eighths of an inch in 

 width ; they are green and wrinkled while young, pale yel- 

 lowish-brown when ripe, and contain three, and sometimes 

 four, seeds. 



Though several days earlier than the Lima, the Sieva 

 Bean requires the whole season for its complete maturity ; 

 and even when planted early, and receiving the advantage of 

 a warm summer and a favorable autumn, it is seldom fully 

 perfected in the Northern States ; for, though much of the 

 crop may ripen, a large portion, almost invariably, is prema- 

 turely destroyed by frost. 



The variety blossomed in eight weeks from the time of 

 planting, afforded pods for shelling in twelve weeks, and 

 ripened from near the middle of September till destroyed by 

 frost. 



The seeds are white or dull yellowish-white, broad-kid- 

 ney-shaped, much flattened, five eighths of an inch long, and 

 nearly half an inch broad. A quart contains about sixteen 

 hundred, and will plant a hundred and fifty hills. 



The Sieva is one of the most productive of all varieties. 

 The young pods, however, are tough and hard, and are 

 never eaten. The beans, in their green or ripe state, are 

 similar to the Lima, and are nearly as delicate and richly 

 flavored. It is from two to three weeks earlier than the last 

 named, and would yield a certain abundance in seasons when 

 the Lima would uniformly fail. As a shelled-bean, green or 



