AND RURAL ECONOMIST. 161 



building may ascend upon lines. Some may be sown in a 

 sinjrlc row along a border, or on each side of a walk, and 

 have the support of a slight trellis of laths and lines ; or 

 they might be arched over with similar materials to form a 

 shady walk or bower. In a cold, wet season, or when re- 

 quisite to have a few plants more forward than the general 

 crop, some scarlets may be soM'n in April, either in a slight 

 hotbed, or in pots, under frames of hand-glasses, to raise 

 and forward the plants, till two or three inches high : then, 

 at the end of May, transplant them into the open garden. 

 As the plants come up, and advance from three to six inches 

 in growth, hoe some earth to the stems, cutting down all 

 weeds. When they begin to send forth runners, place suita- 

 ble supports to each row ; and conduct the tendrils to the 

 sticks or lines, turning them in a contrary direction to the 

 sun. The ascending plants will soon come into flower, pod- 

 ding at the joints, in long succession. They are so prolific, 

 that the returns from three sowings, in May, June and July, 

 will last from July till October. 



Taking the Crop. Gather the pods, both from dwarfs and 

 runners, while they are young, fleshy, brittle, and tender, for 

 then they are in the highest perfection for the table ; and the 

 plants will bear more fully, and last longer in fruit, under a 

 course of clean gathering, not leaving any superabundant 

 pods to grow old. 



To save Seed. Either sow a portion for that object, or 

 leave rows wholly ungathered of the main crop, or preserve 

 a sufliciency of good pods promiscuously. The beans saved 

 should be the first fruits of a crop sown at a period which 

 throws the entire course of growth into the finest part of 

 summer. Let them hang on the stalks till they ripen fully, 

 in August and September; then let the haulm be pulled up 

 and placed in the sun, to dry and harden the seed, which 

 should be afterwards cleared out of the husks, bagged up, 

 and housed. 



The pea, English bean, and kidney bean, are liable to the 

 attacks of various insects, especially the aphides., [plant lice,] 

 in dry seasons. When early crops are newly sown or plant- 

 ed, mice will burrow for and eat the seed, and when it be- 

 gins to penetrate the soil, it is attacked by snails, slugs, the 

 cut-worm, &c. The usual means of guarding against the 

 ravages of insects must, therefore, be resorted to by the gar- 

 dener. 



As regards the field culture of the bean, we would observe, 

 14# 



