18 THE FAEM. 



of cutting them is to scrape a little of the earth away from each shoot; 

 then, with a sharp-pointed, long-bladed knife, cut off the shoot slant- 

 ingly, about three inches under the surface, taking care not to wound 

 the younger buds that are advancing below in different stages of 

 growth. It is in the best state for cutting when it is four inches above 

 ground, and while the top remains close and round. The cutting should 

 never extend beyond the middle o^June. 



BEANS— Kidney-Dwarfs. — The following are good varieties : early Den- 

 mark, early Mohawk, early valentine, early yellow six-weeks, early dun- 

 colored, or quaker, early China dwarf, early Eachel, or quail's head, early 

 Rob-Roy, early Black Dwarf, large white kidney dwarf, white cranberry 

 dwarf, red cranberry dwar^ yellow cranberry dwarf, refugee, or thou- 

 sand to one, marble Swiss bean, royal dwarf kidney, or French. 



English Dwarfs. — Varieties : early Mazagan, early Lisbon, early, long- 

 pod, large Windsor, large toker, broad Spanish, Sandwich beafl, green 

 Genoa, dwarf cluster, white blossom, green nonpareil, sword long-pod. 



Pole or Rmining. — Varieties : large white Lima, speckled Lima, scarlet 

 runners, white Dutch runners, Dutch case-knife, or princess, London 

 horticultural, French bicolor, red cranberry, white cranberry. 



The soil and culture of the different varieties of the bean are essen- 

 tially the same, except that pole-beans require a greater distance in the 

 hills, and the Limas especially a deeper and richer soil. A soil inclining 

 to clay suits them best, and it should be made rich, notwithstanding the 

 popular error to the contrary. 



Beans are often planted too early. They will always grow quicker, 

 and yield better, if the planting be delayed until settled warm weather. 

 The early Mohawk is the hardiest, and may sometimes succeed well, if 

 planted about the middle of April ; but it is much safer to delay the 

 planting of any quantity until toward the end of the month. 



Beans should not be cultivated when wet with rain or dew, as it 

 causes them to rust. Beans are the most nutritious of vegetables, yield- 

 ing eighty per cent, of nutritive matter, while wheat yields but seventy- 

 four. 



Beet. — Varieties : early blood turnip-rooted, early long blood, extra 

 dark blood, yellow turnip-rooted, early scarcity, mangel-wurzel^ French 

 sugar, or Silesia, Sir John Sinclair's. 



This vegetable should be sown in the fall (see Fall Planting;) but 

 if not, as soon as the soil is in condition in the spring— the rows a foqj; 

 apart, and the plants eight inches apart in the rows. In order to hasten 

 the seed up in the spring (if sown then,) soak it four days andr«iights in 

 rain-water before you sow it. Put it two inches deep, cover it well, and 

 press the earth hard down upon it. Sow the seed pretty thick all along 

 the drill ; and, when the plants come up, thin them to eight inches 

 apart. Hoe between the plants frequently ; but not very deep, because 

 these tap-rooted things are apt to fork if the ground be made loose 

 very low down while they are growing. There are yellow and white 

 beets, as well as red ; but the red is the true kind : the others are 

 degenerate. There is, however, round or turnip-rooted, red beet, which 

 is equally good with the tap-rooted red beet. The ground should be 

 rich, but not fresh dunged. Ashes of wood, or compost mould, is best; 



