PLANTS. 257 



food for cattle. There are several varieties found in the 

 United States : Hairy Vetch (Vicia Hirsuta) ; Tufted 

 Vetch (Vicia Cracca), and Wild Vetch (Vicia Ameri- 

 cana), regarded as weeds. 



The Common Field or Windsor Bean (Vicia faba), 

 Moench. Stalk rigid erect, with oval leaves ; flowers 

 white, spotted with black ; bears three legumes or pods, 

 which, on being ripe, turn black, and contain very large 

 seed, with the large hilum or scar at one end. Used 

 principally as food for cattle ; the unripe seeds are, how- 

 ever, often applied to table use. O- 



The Common Garden Pea (Pisum vulgare) is culti- 

 vated everywhere ; roundish leaf-stalks ; leaves oval, 

 ternate ; tendrils long and branching ; flowers white and 

 numerous ; pods or legumes about two inches long, and 

 sometimes, when unripe, are eaten. The seeds, however, 

 are highly esteemed as a delicious vegetable. Some of 

 the family are dwarfs, others climbers, and require rods 

 for support. The plant is, however, too well known to 

 require any farther description. . There are several 

 varieties of flowering peas Painted Lady, Sweet Pea, 

 Everlasting Pea, etc. 



The Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) grows higher 

 than the pea, requiring a pole for support, although some 

 species are low and dwarfish ; these are called Bunch 

 Beans, supposed to be natives of the East Indies, but cul- 

 tivated in Europe from the earliest times. The stem, five 

 to eight feet long, twining against the sun ; leaves pointed 

 and heart-shaped ; flowers white, blooming in clusters ; 

 pods flat, and while young, constitute the favorite dish 

 called string beans. The seeds contained in the mature 

 fruit are also much esteemed as an article of food. There 

 are many varieties, Bush or Kidney Bean (Phascolua 



