130 TRUCK-FARMING AT THE SOUTH. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



BEAN BUSH OR SNAP. (Phaseolus vulgaris.) 



Haricot, French ; SchminJcbohne, German ; Heere Boon, Dutch ; Fagiorilo^ 

 Italian-. Fasoles, Spanish. 



The Bean is a tender 'animal, a native of India, and 

 was introduced into England about 1590. 



Owing to the ease with which it can be grown, the 

 short period between seed-time and harvest (about six 

 weeks), and its extensive consumption at the North, the 

 bean is one of the principal vegetables grown by the 

 truck-farmer. Its cultivation is most profitable where 

 labor is plentiful for picking the crop, as in the neighbor- 

 hood of cities. 



VARIETIES. 



There are two distinct forms,' the Pole or Climbing 

 Bean, and the Dwarf. The latter, Phaseolus vulgaris, 

 is a low bush and produces its pods during a shorter time 

 than the other. The Dwarf beans are a little more 

 hardy, and the pods are smaller, but 'of better flavor and 

 greater delicacy. As the running kinds require poles, 

 the " Bush," in consequence of readier cultivation, is the 

 bean of the market-gardener. 



The varieties of Bush-beans are numerous. The flat- 

 podded " Early Mohawk," is the earliest, and hardiest. 

 It sells well, until the later, more tender and less stringy 

 round beans come in, and command a higher price. 



The "Valentine " is now the most popular round bean, 

 it having superseded the " Eefugee " or " 1000 to 1," and 

 the " Cleveland Extra Early " is considered the earliest of 

 them,coming in about one week later than the ''Mohawk." 

 The several varieties of German " Wax-beans" are very 



