IOO 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



Cuban Asparagus Bean. A vigorous climbing plant, attaining 

 a height of from 10 to 13 ft; leaves very large; leaflets long, 



spear-shaped ; flowers of 

 medium size, green, mostly 

 solitary, succeeded by pods 

 of remarkable length, being 

 often over 2j ft. long when 

 fully grown. They are 

 then inflated by the swell- 

 ing of the seed, and are 

 about J'in. broad. The 

 seed, in form and colour, 

 exactly resembles that of 

 the Asparagus Bean, of 

 which this appears to be 

 a variety, but a very 

 distinct one, as it grows 

 much taller and is a 

 thorough climber. It is 

 cultivated, however, in the 

 same way, and the pods 

 are similarly eaten when 

 green, before they are fully 



Cuban Asparagus Bean ( T \ natural size). grown. 



LABLAB, or EGYPTIAN KIDNEY BEAN 



Lablab vulgaris, Savi. Leguminosce. 



French, Dolique Lablab. Italian, Fagiuolo d'Egitto. Spanish, Indianella. Portuguese, 



Feyas da India. 



Native of India. Annual. A climbing plant, with stout 

 branching stems, which are sometimes from 13 to over 16 ft. long. 

 Leaves compound, with three large broad leaflets of a dark green 

 colour, and slightly puckered or crimped ; flowers sweet-scented, 

 large, in long dense clusters ; pods rather short, wrinkled, and very 

 flat, growing sometimes seven or eight together on the same stalk ; 

 seed short, oval, flat, three or four in each pod ; hilum white, much 

 marked, occupying nearly one-third of the circumference of the 

 seed. There are two principal varieties, one with white flowers 

 and white seed, and the other with violet flowers and black seed. 

 They are grown in the same way as Tall Kidney Beans. In 

 France they are only grown as ornamental plants, but the seeds 

 are eaten in those countries where they are grown for table use. 



