74 THE VILLA GARDENER. 



and bear a second crop. In mild winters, the roots of the runnei-s, if the soil 

 is dry, sometimes survive, and spring up again the following year; and, in 

 this case, fresh seeds are unnecessary, but the ground must either be manured 

 during winter, or frequently watered with liquid manure whilst the plants are 

 growing. The kidney-bean is one of the most valuable of culinary veget- 

 ables, being always ready to gather during the whole summer, and requiring 

 very little cookery. That kind known as the scarlet runner is by far the 

 most profitable that can be planted ; not only from its producing a greater 

 quantity of fruit than any of the dwarf varieties, but because its pods are 

 tender to the latest period of their growth, even when the seeds within are 

 full grown ; whereas the pods of the dwarf varieties become stringy, hard, and 

 unfit to eat, even before the seeds are half-grown. The mature seeds of all 

 the varieties, taken from the pods, and well boiled or stewed, form a farina- 

 ceous and most nutritious food ; the quantity of gluten in them being neai-ly 

 as great as it is in the best wheat. Before Miller's time, the scarlet runner 

 was chiefly cultivated for the beauty of its flowers, and on account of their 

 being produced by the plants during the whole summer. The plants were 

 regularly sown every spring in the flower border, among the other orna- 

 mental annuals, and the flowers were eagerly sought after by ladies to put 

 into their nosegays and garlands; but Miller having brought the pods into 

 general use for the table, the scarlet runner has disappeared from the flower 

 border, and has now almost ceased to be considered as an ornamental plant. 

 The round sabre bean, which is a profuse bearer, and the seeds of which are 

 very nutritious when eaten in a ripe state, has white flowers, and is very 

 ornamental when trained against a wall. Another kind of kidney-bean has 

 black and white flowers, and is still more ornamental than the others. 



114. The bed on the grass plot adjoining the walk between the entrance- 

 gate and the front door may be planted or sown with such plants as are at 

 once fragrant flowers and sweet herbs ; such as lemon and common thyme^ 

 mint, marjoram, sage, winter savory, fennel, and tarragon. These would 

 never require any manure, and need not to be taken up and replanted 

 oftener than once in three or four years, or even longer. 



115. In gardens of smaller size, if it should be desired to confine the culture 

 of useful plants to the back garden, the front garden may be laid down in 

 grass, and only dwarf fruit-trees planted in it. The centre tree may be a 

 filbert or a berberrry. The filbert is most ornamental during winter, with its 

 long male catkins moved by every wind ; but the berberry has the advantage 

 of being beautiful, not onl)' when in flower in spring, but also in autumn 

 when covered with its bright fruit, which is useful both for garnishing and 

 making a delicious preserve. In this case gooseberry or currant bushes may 

 be planted in the circles, or the centre-tree may be a swan-egg pear, which 

 is very graceful in its habit of growth, and the bushes in the circles may be 

 dwarf apples on paradise stocks, and the kinds may be the Hawthornden, if 

 profit be the object, because no other apple-tree bears so abundantly as a 

 dwarf; but, for ornament, may be added, the Alexander, a veiy large apple ; 

 the red Siberian crab, nearly as small as a cherry, but an excellent bearer, 

 and making an elegant sweetmeat when preserved in apple jelly ; and the 

 transparent crab, a most beautiful apple with a skin like transparent wax, 

 also an abundant bearer, and good for preserving. Other fruit-trees are 

 either not ornamental, such as the pear and medlar; or of too short duration. 



