62 



In my report of last year I presented some of the best kinds 

 •of several varieties of vegetables. To " know Beans " is pro- 

 verbiallv a measure of wisdom ; vet the knowled<>-e of the aji- 

 rieultural public of this vegetable, which demands its place in 

 every garden, is not always exhaustive. 



In addition to the old classification into l)ush and pole, we 

 liave the intermediate varieties. These are more productive 

 than the common bush, require about three feet between the 

 TOWS, where they will develop well at two and a half feet 

 sipart, and yet are not of so running a habit as to need poles. 

 The Intermediate Horticultural is one of the best of the inter- 

 mediates for family use. Grown on poor soil they almost lose 

 ^heir half running liabit, l)ut when grown side by side on rich 

 land witli the common bush, their distinctive })eculiaritics are 

 always developed. 



The great improvement in beans for use in a green state as 

 '"^ snap " beans has been made l)y the introduction of the wax 

 varieties. .V wax bean may be defined as a variety in Avhicli 

 the inner membrane is absent. It is this inner membrane that 

 anakes the pod stringy and so worthless to the housewife as a 

 a^nap Ijcan as it advances towards maturity, and when mature 

 it is this same membrane that gives the dry })od a definite 

 .shape. Of the pole varieties of the Avax bean, the Indian 

 vCliief, (sometimes erroneously called Butter Bean,) is the 

 foldest and best known — the bean is lilack ; the Giant wax has 

 :a longer and broader pod and the bean is of a bright red color ; 

 the Black .Vlgerian has the longest and broadest pod of all, 

 "which is of a somewhat })vu'})le color ; tlie l)ean is black. The 

 ]j)ods of both the Indian Chief and Giant wax are of the usual 

 •gTcen color when they first develop, but turn of a very light 

 ^waxv color and Ijccome translucent as they grow older, these 

 :and the Black Algerian remaining gx)od snap beans until the 

 ipods begin to dry. There are three varieties of dwarf wax 

 beans, only one of which is as yet to any extent known ; this 

 is the Black Dwarf. The bean of a new sort that lias recently 

 i)cen brought to my notice, resembles very mucli the Early 



