106 TRACTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, &c. 



days earlier — and treated according to the old practice here of 

 crowding the seeds in the rows, and having wider intervals. 



This new mode succeeded beyond my expectation. The crop 

 in 42 days after sowing completely covered the soil, and was in 

 excellent condition as a fodder for cattle. That cattle and horses 

 and hogs will eat it has been ascertained — and it may be inferred 

 they are even fond of it: for some cattle having lately broken 

 into an inclosure, at Long Wood, devonred the uhole of a small 

 crop of this sort of bean. 



On the 13th of 3Iarch it is noted in my Journal " that many 

 of the kidney beans sown on the 9th of January are now fit for 

 gathering." At this age (about two months) they resemble 

 French beans in the state they are used at tables in England, but 

 are much larger. On the 9th of April (that is three months after 

 sowing) the leaves of a great part of the crop had fallen off, the 

 pods had withered, and the beans were full grown. This experi- 

 ment proves that from black speckled kidney beans a weighty 

 crop of green fodder might be obtained in six weeks from the 

 period of sowing; and that in two months the pods and leaves 

 had become an excellent and nutritious fodder; whilst the pods 

 in their green state might supply abundantly the fleets that tuuch 

 here with a vegetable at a moderate price, which would l^eep 

 some time, and be highly conducive to the health of seamen after 

 their long voyages. 



The following is a concise view of these two crops of beans, 

 and of three others that are now in progress. 



EXPERIMENT, No. 1. 



1811, June 27. — Sowed black speckled kidney beans — rows 

 3 feet asunder, and seeds very close in the drills. 



October 23 — Cut 33 feet of rows — and collected the pods — their 



