The Haricot-Weevil 



after the manner of the pea, the lentil and 

 the others. The smallest leguminous seed, 

 often no bigger than a pin's head, feeds its 

 Bruchus, a dwarf that nibbles it patiently 

 and hollows it into a dwelling, whereas the 

 plump and exquisite haricot is spared! 



This strange immunity can have but one 

 explanation: like the potato, like maize, the 

 haricot is a present from the New World. 

 It arrived in Europe unaccompanied by the 

 insect that battens on it regularly in its 

 native land; it found in our fields other seed- 

 eaters, which, because they did not know it, 

 despised it. In the same way, the potato 

 and maize are respected over here, unless 

 their American consumers are imported with 

 them by accident. 



The insect's report is confirmed by the 

 negative evidence of the ancient classics : the 

 haricot never appears on the rustic table of 

 their peasants. In Vergil's second Eclogue, 

 Thestylis is preparing the reapers' repast: 



Thestylis et rapido fessis messoribus astu 

 Allia serpyllumque herbas contundit olentes. 1 



1 "And Thestylis wild thyme and garlic beats 



For harvest hinds, o'erspent with toil and heats." 

 Pastorals, ii, Dryden's translation. 

 269 



