1126 PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS feench bean 



and plenty of manure in autumn. They 

 are best grown in a different plot of 

 ground each year (see ' Rotation of Crops,' 

 p. 1104 ; and ' Soil,' p. 61). 



Sowm^.— About the middle of Novem- 

 ber in the south, and October in the 

 north, the iirst sowing of Broad Beans 

 may be made, in rows about 2-4 ft. apart. 

 Each row may have the seeds placed 

 alternately or zigzag 3-4 in. apart, and 

 about 3 in. beneath the surface of the soil 

 in the drills. The soil may be trodden 

 over them and raked level. A warm 

 suimy position should be chosen for this 

 late autimin or early winter sowing, and 

 the best variety for the purpose is that 

 knoviTi as Early Mazagan, which is very 

 hardy and early, and one of the best for 

 autumn sowing. 



It is however questionable whether 

 there is anything gained by sowing seeds 

 at this particular period of the year. If 

 the winter is mild and not too wet or 

 frosty, a slight advantage may be gained, 

 perhaps a week or ten days, but I have 

 seen Broad Beans sown the first week in 

 March picked before those sown in 

 November. It seems therefore as if the 

 ground is occupied about 4 months to no 

 good purpose. It would be better to have 

 it dug or ridged up so that the action of 

 the weather would in the meantime bring 

 it into a better state of fertility for spring 

 planting. 



About the end of January, and on- 

 wards to the end of June, seeds of the 

 following varieties may be sown at inter- 

 vals, and in the order given, namely 

 Seville Long Pod, a distinct and dwarf 

 variety with remarkably long pods; Green 

 Mammoth Long Pod, Green Masterpiece, 

 Long Pod, a heavy-cropping variety ; 

 and the Broad Windsor varieties, such as 

 Taylor's and Harlington. 



General treatment. — "When the plants 

 are 2-3 in. above the soil they may have 

 earth drawn up to them on each side. A 

 mulching of short decomposed manure 

 will also be beneficial, especially to the 

 earlier crops, to protect the roots from 

 severe frosts. In hot weather a mulching 

 is also valuable in preventing rapid 

 evaporation, thus enabling the plants to 

 withstand drought better. 



It is a common practice when the 

 sturdy stems have reached a height of 

 2-3 ft. to pinch out the tops with the 

 finger and thumb. This process is called 

 ' topping,' and is performed with a view 



to hastening the development and 

 maturity of the pods, by means of the 

 extra sap thus placed at their disposal. 

 It is also useful in getting rid of the black 

 aphides which often crowd the ends of 

 the young shoots and look very unsightly. 



As a rule where the plants have been 

 grown sturdy and strong, and not too 

 close together, it is quite unnecessary to 

 support them in any way Where, how- 

 ever, they are likely to be blown about by 

 wind it may be found necessary to keep 

 the plants upright by running strings 

 along each side of the row, from stout 

 stakes driven into the soil at intervals. 



Pests. — One of the worst pests which 

 attack the Broad Bean is the Black Fly 

 {Aphis Fahce or A. rumicis), also called 

 the Black Dolphin or Collier blight, which 

 clusters on the young and succulent 

 shoots, disfiguring them very much, and 

 often greatly interfering with the func- 

 tions of the plant. Fortunately, however, 

 they often appear after the pods are well 

 set, and if the infested tops are cut off 

 and burned immediately little harm is 

 done. Where this is not possible, how- 

 ever, a sprinkling of Hme and soot early 

 in the morning when the plants are wet 

 with dew will get rid of them. Also a 

 spraying with very soapy water, or Paris- 

 green, the latter at the rate of 1 lb. to 30 

 or 40 gallons of water. After using this 

 once or twice it is wise to syringe or 

 spray the plants afterwards with clean 

 water. 



DWARF, FRENCH, or KIDNEY 

 BEAN (Phaseolus vulgaris). — This 

 is not nearly so hardy as the Broad Bean, 

 and consequently cannot be sown out of 

 doors so early. Like the Broad Bean it 

 is an aimual, but is dwarf and bushy in 

 growth, and very suitable for a summer 

 edging in the kitchen garden as well as 

 for growing in rows in the usual way. It 

 is a native of S. America and is a quick 

 and vigorous grower. The leaves are 

 composed of 3 more or less triangular 

 leaflets, and the flowers are borne in 

 clusters fi.'om the axils. 



Soil. — This must be rather lighter and 

 richer than for Broad Beans, and also 

 well drained. Positions facing south or 

 west are the best, and the earlier crops 

 require sheltered situations. They flourish 

 on a south sunny border aiid soon come 

 to maturity in good soil. 



Solving. — Seeds may be sown out of 



