480 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



refer primarily to the large-seeded varieties used as human 

 food, and the first four names to the smaller-seeded sorts 

 used for animals. The culture of the horse bean ante- 

 dates history, the seeds having been found in several 

 places in remains of the stone age, as well as in ancient 

 Egypt. What is apparently the wild original has been 

 found in Algeria by Schweinfurth and by Trabut. The 

 plant was abundantly cultivated in ancient Greece and 

 other Mediterranean countries, and is important in 

 Europe to-day, as well as in China, India, and Egypt. 

 In warm countries it is grown as a winter crop, and in 

 very cool regions as a summer crop. 



The plant is a stout, erect annual, growing to a height 

 of 2J to 4| feet ; leaves pinnate with 2 or 3 pairs of leaflets, 

 but no tendrils ; flowers in short, axillary clusters of 2 

 to 4 ; corolla white and black. The stem is usually 

 simple, but sometimes branched at the base. 



The horse bean is adapted to a cool growing season, 

 and will not endure heat. It is not particular in its soil re- 

 quirements, except that it be well drained and rich in humus. 



The cultivated varieties are very numerous, probably 

 over 100 occurring in different parts of the world. They 

 are distinguished mainly by the size, shape, and color 

 of the seed. Most of them are adapted to spring planting, 

 but a few varieties may be planted in fall in England. 



In England and Germany they are mostly planted in 

 early spring. The seed is sown broadcast, or preferably 

 drill-ed, in rows 8 to 14 inches wide. The amount of seed 

 to an acre depends on the size of the seed, which varies 

 according to variety. With the common horse bean about 

 4 bushels to an acre is used, a bushel weighing about 56 

 pounds. 



For green feed the plants are cut when in bloom; for 



