65 



BEAN.— FABA. 



Natural order, Papilionacece. A genus of the 

 Diadelphia Decandria class. 



The Bean was called in Greek Kvapos, 

 by the Falisci, a people of Hetruria (now 

 Tuscany), Haba ; whence the name Faba 

 seems to be taken. Martinius derives the 

 word from Ww, to feed; as if it were Paba; 

 Isidorus from pdyta, to eat. 



The flowers of this pulse, which are of the 

 butterfly kind, emit a most agreeable per- 

 fume. 



" Long let us walk 



Where the breeze blows from yon extended field 

 Of blossom'd beans. Arabia cannot boast 

 A fuller gale of joy than liberal thence 

 Breathes through the sense, and takes the ravish'd soul." 



Thomson. 



Of all the pulse kind, this held the first 

 rank in ancient times. We find the Athe- 

 nians used beans sodden, in their feasts de- 

 dicated to Apollo; and the Romans presented 



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