PHASEOLUS HELVOLUS (aMBERIQUE) 141 



all those Protestants who wished to help him to found a 

 Republic in the He d'Eden (Bourbon), we lind the following 

 passage : " There are beans like those of Brazil which bear 

 for seven years without resowing ; they are as good as the 

 large beans of Europe. There are others — smaller — called 

 ' antaques ' ; they, too, live for seven years. There are 

 others, white, yellow, and red in colour; the haricot beansi 

 thrive there as in Europe; yet another sort possesses pods a 

 foot long, the flavour of the seeds being similar to that of the 

 above; the shells may be eaten when green. There are those 

 of still another kind called ' amberique,' in whose pods are 

 small green and yellow seeds, which are extremely good." 



Clear proof is thus forthcoming that at this period 

 " antaques " and " ambericjues " were cultivated in Reunion.. 

 As regards the beans with pods a foot long, everything 

 points to it being the cow pea which was meant. There 

 are a number of varieties, but the commonest are the yellow 

 and black. 



There is considerable similarity of composition between 

 Phaseolus helvolus and the Indian cow pea; the latter, called 

 Phaseolus Mungo, contains more nitrogenous elements than 

 helvolus. 



It is a leguminous plant with smaller leaf development 

 than the " amberique," and covers the soil fairly rapidly, but 

 it is rather exacting in its early stages as regards cultivation ; 

 that is to say, it is affected by the proximity of weeds at this, 

 period. Its seed has a very pronounced " wild " taste, and 

 it is used chiefly as food by the lower classes. 



Harvesting is carried out by threshing the stems which 

 have been cut down to the soil level and accumulated on 

 a portion of the field cleaned previously. All other seeds, 

 such as beans, peas, &c., are picked by hand. It is 

 interesting to note that at those spots where after a certain- 

 time the runners have decomposed, the plants which are 

 cultivated or grow wild flourish better than elsewhere. 



In Mauritius, M. Boname has been conspicuous in test- 

 ing and advocating its cultivation. 



