BEAN. 69 



that beans grew spontaneously in most places 

 without sowing ; particularly in certain 

 islands lying within the northern ocean ; 

 from whence they have derived the name 

 of FabaricB. They grew wild also throughout 

 Mauritania (now Morocco) in Africa ; but 

 these Pliny characterizes as so hard and 

 tough, that they could not be boiled tender. 

 From Mazagan (a settlement of the Por- 

 tuguese, on the coast of Morocco), we have 

 obtained the bean so called, and it is by far 

 the best sort for an early crop. It may 

 be observed of seeds in general, that those 

 brought from warm climates will fruit 

 earlier than those of cold countries. It 

 must therefore be desirable to have the 

 seeds constantly renewed at intervals of a 

 few years, since the bean will naturally be- 

 come a later variety, as it grows accustomed 

 to the soil and climate of this kingdom. 



Gerard states, that the garden bean is 

 the same in all respects as the field bean, 

 the one having been improved only by the 

 fertility of the soil : — we perfectly coincide 

 in this opinion, as the ancient authors men- 

 tion but one kind of the bean called Faba. 

 Virgil says, that if beans are soaked in lees, 

 or dregs of oil and nitre, before they are 



