274 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



store the seed in bottles, pouring into each a little spirits 

 of turpentine, as directed for preserving beans. The bean 

 and pea bugs belong to the genus JRritchus of Linnaeus, 

 a family devouring the seed of many Leguminous plants, 

 and the eggs of both species are deposited by the parent 

 beetle in the soft pods, and directly over the seed. The 

 maggots work their way into the seed, where they obtain 

 their perfect form. The pea bug does not usually destroy 

 the germ, but its congener, the species that infests the 

 bean, is much more destructive, several often inhabiting 

 a single bean, and leaving nothing but the outer skin and 

 a mass of yellow dust. Spirits of turpentine appears to be 

 fatal to them. 



Some think that peas are earlier if the seed has been ob- 

 tained from a more northern locality than the one in 

 which they are planted. The garden pea is very whole- 

 some, and an Almost universal favorite. To have them in 

 perfection, they should be freshly gathered, and by no 

 means allowed to stand over night before use. They can 

 be shelled and dried in the shade, and form a tolerably 

 agreeable dish in winter, but they are much inferior to 

 those freshly picked. Green or dry they are very nutri- 

 tious, abounding in flesh-forming constituents. 



PEPPER. (Capsicum.) 



This genus (Capsicum) of plants belongs to the 

 Solamim family, and several species are in cultivation, 

 all of which are natives of tropical regions. Some of 

 them have been cultivated in England 300 years, O. an- 

 num, or Guinea Pepper, having been introduced there in 

 1548. Those most in use are : 



Bell Pepper, This was brought from India in 

 1759 ; of low growth, with large, red, bell-shaped fruit. 



