LEGUMINOS^E. CLXXXVIII. PHASEOLUS. 



351 



rather torulose, ending in a long mucrone ; seeds ovate, a little 

 compressed. Q. / ~ > . H. Native of the East Indies, but has 

 been cultivated in the gardens from time immemorial. It is a 

 very variable plant, either twining or dwarf, with white or lilac 

 flowers, and the seeds are very variable both in colour and 

 shape. P. vulgaris and P. nana, Lin. Lob. icon. t. 59. Moris, 

 oxon. sect. 2. t. 5. f. 1. Riv. tetra. irr. t. 30 and 29. f. 1, 2, and 

 3. Park. par. t. 523. f. 2.- Savi, mem. 3. p. Ik where he 

 distributes the varieties into the three following series, marked 

 A. B. C. 



A. unicolor : seeds of one colour only, black, blue, white, 

 cream-coloured, lilac, yellow, pale red, greenish yellow, or red- 

 dish, but never with the colours mixed. P. Nigerrimus and P. 

 lilacinus of Zucc. obs. no. 81. To this series belong the early- 

 yellow, dwarf, early-black or negro, early -white, Battersea- 

 white, Canterbury-white, dun-coloured, tanny, large white-divarf, 

 Canterbury and Battersea small-white runners, &c. 



B. faseiatus ; seed lined with different colours, the lines broad 

 and curved. The ground-colour of the seeds is either bluish, 

 cream-coloured, bay colour, grey or liver-coloured, &c. To 

 this series belong the Zebra, streaked or striped, and the va- 

 riable runner, &c. 



C. variegatua; seeds variegated, white spotted with rust co- 

 lour, lead colour, or violet, blue spotted with olive colour, or 

 yellow spotted with brown. To this series belong early-red- 

 speclded, black-speckled, and brown-speckled, &rc. 



The common dwarf kidney -bean or French-bean, Haricot of 

 the French, Schminkbohne of the Germans, and Fagiuolo of the 

 Italians, is a rather tender annual plant, flowering from June to 

 September. The scarlet and white runners, P. mullijlorus, are 

 rather tenderer than the varieties of P. vulgaris or kidney-bean; 

 they produce flowers from July to September. The stems of 

 both species twine more or less, though little of this propensity 

 is shewn by the dwarfer kinds. The flowers are white, red, or 

 purple. The pods swelling slightly over the seeds, which are 

 generally kidney- shaped, smooth, and shining ; when ripe varying 

 much in colour and shape, according to the variety, and either 

 white, black, blue, or spotted ; some of the most distinct of 

 these have been considered by Savi as distinct species, which we 

 have described as such. The pods of both the kidney-beans 

 and runners may be had in perfection from June to October. 

 Speedily suggests (Practical Hints on Domestic Economy, p. 

 15.), that the culture of the kidney-bean might become an object 

 of national or field culture in this country, and be particularly 

 useful in times of scarcity, more especially as on good land it 

 will flourish and grow luxuriantly even in a dry parching sea- 

 son ; in which respect it differs from most other culinary veget- 

 ables. It is an article of field culture in most warm countries, 

 especially France and America. 



Use. The unripe pods are chiefly used in Britain as a legume, 

 for which they are in great estimation throughout the year, being 

 produced by forcing when they cannot be grown in the natural 

 ground. They are also used as a pickle. On the continent the 

 ripe seeds are much used in cookery, forming what are called 

 Haricots, of different kinds, and entering into some sorts of 

 soups. In the end of the season, when frost is expected, the 

 haulm of the kidney-bean crop is gathered and dried like that 

 of the pea in this country, and the ripe beans afterwards threshed 

 out, and preserved for use through the winter. 



Constitution and habit. The varieties of both species, P. vul- 

 garis an& P. multiflon/s, and all those belonging to the present divi- 

 sion of the genus, are tender in their nature, unable to grow freely 

 in the open garden before April or May, the seeds being liable to 

 rot in the ground from the effects of wet and cold, if planted 

 before the beginning of the former month, even in a dry soil. 

 The plants make but little progress till settled warm weather. 



However, when sown in the proper season from April or May 

 through the course of summer till the beginning of August, 

 they succeed well, making liberal returns of fruit from June or 

 July to October. The dwarf kinds require no support ; but 

 the runners, rising with twining stems 8 or 10 or more feet, 

 require tall sticks or poles to climb upon, or lines suspended 

 from a contiguous building or fence, or from poles. They pro- 

 duce pods their whole length. It deserves notice, that the 

 tendrils of the twining stems turn to the right, or in a direction 

 contrary to the apparent diurnal course of the sun, a circum- 

 stance, however, not uncommon among papilionaceous twiners. 



Estimate of sorts. The dwarf kinds, or the varieties of P. 

 vulgaris, bear sowing a little sooner than the runners, or varieties 

 of P. multi/ldrus, and make quicker returns. They are besides 

 more convenient to cultivate on a large scale, and the smaller 

 pods which they produce are esteemed by many to have more 

 delicacy of flavour. On this account it is usual to raise the 

 larger supply from the varieties of P. vulgaris, or dwarf kinds. 

 The early-yellow, early-black, and early-red-speckled are among 

 the most hardy and most forward : the early -white comes in a 

 few days later, but it is of superior flavour. The Canterbury, 

 Battersea, black- speckled, brown-speckled, dun-coloured, striped, 

 and tawny are plentiful lasting bearers. Growers for sale in 

 general depend on the Canterbury and Battersea for main crops ; 

 but the others just named are also profitable sorts, and accept- 

 able to the consumer. The dwarf kidney-bean continues to pro- 

 duce young pods in abundance and in perfection only about 3 

 weeks or a month. The runners, or varieties of P. multiflorus, 

 yield a succession of fruit from the same sowing a much longer 

 time than the dwarfs. The scarlet-runner ranks first for its 

 prolific property and long continuance in fruit ; the pods are 

 thick, fleshy, tender, and good, if gathered while moderately 

 young. The white variety is equally eligible for the principal 

 crop. The Dutch-runner is also a great bearer, in fine long 

 pods, but not so lasting as the former. As to the smaller runner 

 kinds, they are rather degenerate varieties of the Canterbury and 

 Battersea mliite-dwarfs, casually shooting into runners ; they 

 bear in tolerable abundance slender neat pods, which are very 

 good and tender eating, though not so eligible for the principal 

 crop of runners as the scarlets. 



Quantity of seed. Half a pint will sow a row 80 feet in 

 length, the beans being placed from 2-j to 3 inches apart. 



Soil. The soil for all the kinds should be light and mellow, 

 inclining to a dry sand for the early sowings, and to a moist loam 

 for the sowing in summer. 



Culture of dwarf kidney-beans, or varieties of P. vulgaris. 

 About the beginning of April, if the weather be temperate, fair, 

 and settled, make the first sowing, in a dry south border, or 

 other sheltered compartment with a good aspect, or sow in a 

 single row close under a south fence, beginning with a small 

 proportion of the most hardy early sorts. It is a good method 

 to follow in a week with a second sowing, in case the former 

 should fail. You may sow for a larger crop about the middle or 

 20th of April. For the early crops make the drills 2 feet asun- 

 der. The common depth is an inch or inch and a half for the 

 smaller sized beans. Drop in the beans in each row at this season 

 pretty close together, as many may fail, from 1 to 2 inches apart. 

 Cover them in evenly the full depth of the drill. For the main 

 crops you may sow more fully towards the end of April ; and in 

 full crops in May and June, a portion once every fortnight or 

 three weeks of the Canterbury or other sorts approved, for a 

 main supply. Draw drills 2 or 2^ feet asunder, an inch and 

 a half or 2 inches deep. Drop the beans 3 inches apart, and 

 cover them with earth the full depth of the drills. For supplies 

 in succession, sow in July once or twice, and make a moderate 

 sowing at the beginning of August for a late and last crop. In 



