BEANS 341 



and the season. The bean hardens if placed in water, 

 and to keep the water pure it is well to add a few 

 lumps of charcoal. Forced plants very early in the 

 season produce a large number of small pods. These 

 are unsaleable. It is well therefore to sort them and 

 not grow the plants too thickly so that the pods 

 can properly develop. In packing use some soft 

 material on the top of the basket as the pods bruise 

 quickly if not protected. The open ground supply is 

 from June to October, but the crop must be gathered 

 regularly otherwise the pods fail to set. The pods 

 from the open are usually gathered into cross-handled 

 baskets and sold by the pound when sent to market. 

 The Runner Bean needs much the same treatment as 

 regards gathering, as if the pods form seed they are 

 of little value as a vegetable. For market large 

 quantities are grown, but of late years the Climbing 

 Runner or French Bean has become a great favourite. 

 Though the pods of this variety age more quickly the 

 plants crop freely and the pods being more shapely 

 are much liked. This section is usually packed in half 

 sieves or bushels for market, the tops being covered 

 over with long grass and protected by willows. The 

 earlier the plants can be got to produce the more 

 valuable the supply ; indeed, it often happens that the 

 earliest pods sent to market in pounds in small flats 

 give a much better return than bushels later on. In 

 the private garden the same results should be en- 

 couraged, as the earlier the produce the more it is 

 valued. 



