CHAP. I. CULINARY VEGETABLES. 149 



Mucuna nivea. 

 Khamach. 



A very excellent native vegetable, but little known, I believe, 

 to Europeans. 



Koxburgh says : " By removing the exterior velvety skin of 

 the large fleshy tender pods, they are when dressed a most 

 excellent vegetable for the table, and the full-grown Beans are 

 scarcely inferior to the large Garden Beans of Europe/' To me 

 the Beans seem to partake rather of the agreeable flavour of the 

 Lima Bean, and afford a very nice dish during the latter end of 

 the Kain season. 



The seeds should be sown in July, and the plants, being 

 supplied with some kind of support to climb upon, demand no 

 further care in their cultivation. 



Dolichos Sinensis. 



ASPABAGUS BEAN. 



Burbuiee Lobeea. 



A runner Bean, native of India, and common in all parts 

 of the country. In appearance the pods differ little from 

 those of ordinary Kidney Beans, but are very indifferent as to 

 flavour, and have little to recommend them, except that they 

 are produced during the Rains, when Beans of other kinds are 

 unattainable. The seeds should be sown in July. 



Lablab vulgare. 



A native vegetable : the pod is a broad, flat kind of French 

 Bean, and is dressed and cooked in the manner of French Beans. 



Four eatable varieties, met with for sale in the bazars during 

 the Cold season, are thus described by Dr. Roxburgh : 



"a. Albiflorum : Sliwet-seem: flowers white, smallish ; cultivated 

 in gardens, and supported by poles, often forming arbours about 

 the doors of the poor natives. The tender pods eaten like French 

 Beans ; the seeds never. The plant has no disagreeable smell. 



" /?. Kubifloram : Jeea-seem : flowers red ; cultivated like the last, 

 and much esteemed by the natives. 



"y. Purpurascens : Goordal-seem : flowers large, purplish. A 

 large variety ; cultivated like the last. Legumes broader, with the 

 seeds more remote than any of the other varieties. 



" 8. Purpureum : Bukto-seem : stem and the large flowers purple. 

 Pods deep purple." 



