VICIA. 



The firft fort does not rife to any great height, but is a 

 plant that varies with common purple flowers ; with white 

 flowers. And there is the early fummer vetch ; the black- 

 feeded vetch ; and the white-feedcd vetch. 



It IS the fort which is commonly cultivated in the field for 

 the purpofe of green fodder, Sec. as well as the produflion 

 of feed. Sometimes alfo in pleafure-grounds, &c. as a low 

 climbing plant. See Tare. 



The fecond has long climbing ftalks, with dark purple 

 flowers. 



The third fort alfo rifes to fome height, with numerous 

 light blue flowers coming from the fides of the branches. 



The fourth rifes with climbing ftalks to the height of five 

 or fix feet, having many pale blue flowers. It is a twining 

 plant among trees or bufhes. 



The fifth has the fame fort of ftalks and flowers. 



The fixth fort has lower trailing woody ftalks, and pale 

 blue flowers. 



The laft fort has an annual root, with an upright ftalk 

 from two to three or four feet in height in the larger garden 

 varieties. 



There are feveral varieties of garden beans ; as the Ma- 

 zagan bean, which is the firft and beft fort of early beans 

 at prefent known. It is brought from a fettlement of the 

 Portuguefe on the coaft of Africa, jnft without the 

 ftraits of Gibraltar, and is fmaller than thofe of the horfe- 

 bean kind. 



The early Portugal or Lifbon bean, which iiS the next, and 

 appears to be the Mazagan fort faved in Portugal, as it is 

 very like thofe which are the firft year faved in this country. 

 It is the moft common fort ufed by the gardeners for their 

 firft crop, but they are not near fo well tafted as the real 

 Mazagan. 



1 he fmall Spanifti bean, which comes in foon after the 

 Portugal fort, and is rather a fweeter bean. 



And of the fmall early varieties, there is one which is 

 chiefly planted for curiofity. It is a dwarf, fix or ten inches 

 m height, with branches fpreading like a fan, and flowers 

 fucceeded by fmall pods, both in clufters ; whence it is called 

 the dwarf fan or clufter bean. 



Further alfo of the middle-fized later beans, a fort now 

 very commonly cultivated is the long-podded bean, a yard or 

 more in height, a great bearer, the pods long and narrow, 

 clofely filled with oblong middle-fized feeds. Of this there 

 are faveral fub-varieties, as the early, the tall, the Turkey, 

 &c. 



The broad Spanifh, which is a little later than the other, 

 but comes in before the common forts, and is a good bearer. 



The white-bloflbmed bean, which has none of the black 

 mark on the wings. The feed is femi-tranfparent, and having 

 lefs of the peculiar bean flavour, when young, than any of the 

 others, is by many in much efteem. It bears abundance of 

 fmallifti, long, narrow pods, and the feeds are almoft black 

 when ripe. 



And there is a red-bloffomed bean, with fmallifti pods and 

 feeds, but which is not near fo palatable as that with white 

 blofibms. 



There are alfo fome other varieties, as the Mumford, the 

 green Venetian, &c. 



In the large late kinds, the Sandwich bean, which comes 

 foon after the Spanifti, and is almoft as large as the Windfor 

 bean, but, being hardier, is commonly fown a month fooner. 

 It is a plentiful bearer, but not very delicate for the table. 



The Toker bean, which comes about the fame time with 

 the Sandwich, and is a great bearer. 



The white and black bloflbm beans, which are alfo by 

 fome rnuch efteemed ; the beans of the former, when boiled, 



are almoft as green as peas ; and being a tolerable fweet 

 bean renders it more valuable. Thefe forts are very apt to 

 degenerate, if their feeds are not faved with great care. 



The Windfor bean is allowed to be the beft of all the 

 forts for the table : when thefe are planted on a good foil, 

 and are allowed fufhcient room, their feeds will be very 

 large, and in great plenty ; and, when they are gathered 

 young, are the fweeteft and beft tafted of all the forts ; but 

 thefe ftiould be carefully faved, by pulling out fuch of the 

 plants as are not perfeftly right, and afterward by forting 

 out all the good from the bad beans. 



This fort of bean is feldom planted before Chriftmas, be- 

 caufe it will not bear the froft fo well as many of the other 

 forts ; fo it is generally planted for the main crop, to come 

 in in June and July. 



Method of Culture in the Vetch Kind. — All the forts of 

 vetches may be propagated by fowing the feeds in the au- 

 tumnal or fpring feafons, but chiefly in the latter, and moftly 

 where the plants are to remain and grow, as in the large 

 open flower borders, in thofe of the ftirubberies and pleafure- 

 grounds, as well as in the woody walks, wildernefs parts, 

 and in the thickets ; or in any other place where they 

 are to run and climb up any fort of wood. They ftiould be 

 fown in patches near to flirubs or buflies on which they may 

 climb, and fometimes in the open fpaces, to climb upon fticks 

 fet for the purpofe. 



Method of Culture in the Bean Kind. — Thefe crops are 

 raifed with much facility by fowing them at different times 

 from October to March, or later. The fmall forts are moftly 

 ufed for the earheft crops, and the firft two or three of the 

 above forts are the moft proper for the purpofe; but the 

 Mazagan kind is the earlieft of all, and moft proper to plant 

 for the firft crop, and the Portugal and fmall Spanifti bean 

 next, all of which ftiould be planted early on warm fouth 

 borders, or other flieltered funny expofures, under or near 

 walls, pales, or hedges, or other warm defended quarters, 

 every month from Oftobcr till the beginning of February ; 

 in order that if the firft planting ftiould fail by inclement 

 weather in winter, the others may fucceed ; and if all the 

 crops ftiould furvive the froft, they will fucceed one another 

 regularly in bearing. The planting ftiould be performed in 

 rows, ranging fouth and north, two feet and half afunder, 

 an inch and half deep, and two or three inches apart in each 

 row. They may alfo be planted in one row lengthways clofe 

 along under a fouth wall, &c. 



The dwarf bean is not proper to be planted for any 

 general crop, only a few for variety ; for which purpofe 

 it may be put in in autumn or winter ; or in any of the 

 fpring or fummer months tilljune or July, in rows two feet 

 afunder, or in patches about the borders. 



Of the middle-fized forts, the long-pods, broad Spanifti, 

 and white-bloflomed bean are the beft for general culture ; 

 though fome of all the others may be planted occafionally ; 

 and the feafon for thefe forts being put in, is for the firft 

 crop in November or December, on a broad warm border, 

 or in any of the moft ftieltered kitchen-garden quarters, in 

 rows two feet and a half or a yard afunder, three inches 

 diftance in the row, and two or three inches deep ; repeating 

 the planting every month till March, in the open quarters. 



Of the large kind, the Sandwich and Toker bean, being 

 generally more plentiful bearers, and of fomewhat lefs fuc- 

 culent growth than the Windfor, are rather hardier to refift 

 the froft, and may be planted earlier, as before Chriftmas 

 for the firft crop ; and any time after till May, if required ; 

 and of the Windfor, a fmall or moderate crop may be planted 

 in December, in open mild weather, and a dry foil ; in a 

 larger fupply in January ; and a firft full crop in February ; 



and 



