FIVE ORIENTAL SPECIES OF BEANS. 13 



THE RICE BEAN. 



The rice bean (Phaseolus calcaratus Roxb.; Pis. II and III) is 

 cultivated to a limited extent in Japan, China, India, Mauritius, 

 Java, and the Philippines. What is supposed to be the wild original 

 occurs in India. Twenty lots, consisting of nearly as many varieties, 

 have been introduced during the past 11 years. At least one sort 

 was introduced previously and has become sparingly naturalized in 

 Alabama. (See No. 13380.) 



The plant is strictly an annual and half twining in habit. Planted 

 in rows the different varieties grow 12 to 30 inches high and produce 

 vining branches 3 to 6 feet long. The leaves closely resemble those of 

 the common bean, but not infrequently are 3 lobed. The flowers are 

 bright yellow, produced in racemes of 10 to 20. The pods are smooth, 

 slender, falcate, straw colored, brownish, or blackish, 3 to 4 inches 

 long, and burst open readily at maturity. Though very productive 

 of seed, the vining habit of the plant, as well as the shattering, makes 

 it difficult to harvest. The flowers are self-fertile, as when bagged 

 at Arlington farm they set pods perfectly. 



Like other annual legumes, the later varieties are much larger in 

 growth than the early ones. The late ones are very vigorous in growth 

 and make a thick, dense mass of foliage. Such sorts may prove 

 valuable as cover crops in the South, but unfortunately they are all 

 subject to root-knot. This, together with the shattering of the seed, 

 will always militate against their extensive use. 



The varieties differ mainly in their periods of maturity and in the 

 color of the seeds. The latter includes straw colored, brown, maroon, 

 black, and gray marbled. 



During the past six years all of the varieties have been grown at 

 Arlington farm, and several have been tested at Chillicothe and San 

 Antonio, Tex.; New Orleans, La.; Agricultural College, Miss.; Au- 

 burn, Ala. ; Monetta, S. C. ; and elsewhere. In the light of present 

 knowledge it is not likely that the rice bean will be used in this coun- 

 try either as a forage crop or as a cover crop, as other plants fill the 

 need better. Nor is it probable that it will be grown for human food, 

 notwithstanding its prolific seeding, as the habit of the plant and the 

 shattering of the seed make it difficult to harvest. 



The plant is well adapted to practically the same area as the cowpea 

 and will doubtless attract attention from time to time. Under pres- 

 ent conditions it is very doubtful whether this bean can be economi- 

 cally utilized in this country. 



In different parts of India various vernacular names are given to this 

 bean, among them Sutri, Sita-mas, Pau maia, Gurush, and Gurounsh. 



In Japan it is called Tsuru-adsuki ; in China, Mu-tsa (Shanghai), 

 Crab-eye or Lazy-man pea (Soochow), and climbing mountain bean 

 (Yachow) ; in Cuba, where introduced, Little Devil or mambi bean. 



