KIDNEY BEAN, OR FRENCH BEAN 



39 



from those planted out. Where there 

 are pits heated by flues or hot-water 

 pipes, good Beans may be produced 

 throughout the winter by adopting 

 the same mode of culture as that 

 recommended in the case of cold- 

 pits, with the exception that linings 

 will be unnecessary, neither will 

 bottom heat be needed j but where 

 it is not used, growing in pots 

 placed upon boards near the glass 

 is preferable to planting out, as the 

 roots are not then surrounded by 

 such a bulk of cold soil. In order 

 to prolong the season, a sowing 

 may be made in August in cold-pits 

 or frames ; those lately cleared of 

 Melons or Cucumbers will answer 

 perfectly. It is a good plan, before 

 sowing, to choose a fine, sunny day, 

 and give the soil a good soaking of 

 water, and to wash well all the wood 

 or brickwork with a syringe, after 

 which close the lights and let the 

 sun have full power on the glass ; 

 this will quickly put an end to 

 insects. After sowing, the lights 

 may be left off night and day, until 

 the coldness of the weather neces- 

 sitates their being put on. A good 

 warm covering should be afforded 

 during cold nights. By this means 

 a good supply of Beans may be had 

 until late in November, unless the 

 weather be very severe. For this 

 crop stopping the shoots is unneces- 

 sary, inasmuch as the plants will 

 continue longer in bearing if left 

 undisturbed. 



FORCING KIDNEY BEANS. 

 Forcing Kidney Beans in Novem- 

 ber, December, and January is not 

 easy work, as unless the house in 

 which they are growing is light, 

 airy, and well warmed, the crop 

 can never be a profitable one. In 

 badly heated damp structures Kid- 

 ney Beans may be induced to grow, 

 and even bloom, but very few pods 

 will be formed. Warm air alone 



suits them when in flower during 

 the shortest days, and where this 

 cannot be given freely forcing had 

 better be deferred until February. 

 When the days are lengthening and 

 brightening, forcing is easy. I have 

 grown them in beds, in pits, in 

 wooden frames, in boxes, and in 

 pots, and for convenience I prefer 

 and recommend the latter. The 

 seeds may be sown in 3 or 4 in. 

 pots. These should have a few 

 leaves put into the bottom of each ; 

 then fill them half-way up with a 

 mixture of sand, loam, and leaf-soil 

 in the proportion of one part of the 

 first and last to two of the loam. 

 When all have been half filled and 

 the soil made firm, six or eight 

 seeds should be put into each ; then 

 cover them over with more soil. 



As soon as sowing has been 

 finished the whole should be placed 

 in a house or pit, where the tem- 

 perature ranges from 60 to 70. 

 Do not give any water until the 

 growths are seen pushing through 

 the soil ; then never let them surfer 

 from want of it. When the young 

 plants have attained a height of 4 in., 

 they should be put into their fruiting 

 pots. These should be 8 or 9 in. 

 ones, and to begin with they should 

 be properly drained ; over the 

 drainage place a layer of leaves or 

 rough pieces of soil. The mixture 

 of soil this time should be sub- 

 stantial ; no sand or leaf-soil need 

 form part of it ; loam and half- 

 decayed manure should be the sole 

 ingredients. Old Mushroom-bed 

 manure answers well for this pur- 

 pose, and we prefer it to any other. 



The roots should not be dis- 

 turbed when taken out of the small 

 pots, and three or four of the small 

 potfuls may be put together in one 

 of a larger size. One hundred pots 

 of seedlings may thus be reduced 

 to thirty. Firm potting induces 



