DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES 



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as far North as bush beans, to be suitable for growth in 

 corn, and to be similar in quality to Kentucky Wonder. 

 Seeds rather flat, bright yellow, with darker eye-ring. 



Big Chief. This variety was originally listed by 

 Buist in 1925, as Indian Chief, but in 1926 the name was 

 changed to Big Chief, since Indian Chief had long been 

 used as the name of an old wax podded variety. 



The pods are much like those of Refugee in very early stages, 

 later more like those of Kentucky Wonder, nearly as long, fully as 

 broad, often double-barrelled, S-curved, very short-tipped, brittle, 

 stringless and of good quality. Seeds 10 to 12, crowded in pod, of 

 medium size, about 85 to 90 to the ounce; broad oval or slightly 

 kidney-shaped, not very plump, with short-rounded, or truncate 

 ends, slightly dull black, not jet. 



Black Scimitar. Refs. 47, 56, 93, 94. This 

 variety has been grown in America, so far as known, 

 only in a test at the Missouri Botanical Garden; but 

 it has been widely cultivated in Europe, where it was 

 known to Martens in 1863. Vilmorin says the pods 

 are noticeable for their large size and beauty, losing 

 the purplish markings with age. White Zulu, a white- 

 podded sub-variety is described among the wax-pod 

 beans. 



Plant 4 to 5 feet tall, stout-stemmed; leaflets medium sized, 

 pale green, considerably wrinkled. Flowers purplish. Pods green 

 marked violet, 5 to 7 inches long, very broad, straight but twisting 

 sidewise with short tip. Seeds very large, sometimes ?4 inch long, 

 half as wide, kidney-shaped, plump, shining black. 



Black-Seeded Kentucky Wonder. Refs. 48, 91. 

 Introduced toward the end of the last century (1899- 

 1903) by McCullough, and apparently listed by only a 

 few firms, this variety has many attractive qualities 

 that would seem to merit greater popularity. Its pods 

 are suitable for either snap or green-shell purposes. 

 The pods show purplish in later stages and the seeds are 

 black, showing color early. In season it is intermediate 

 to late, 75 days at Geneva, this is 15 days later than the 

 earliest sorts, such as Ideal, or Sickle; 10 days later than 

 Kentucky Wonder or Caseknife; a few days later than 

 Scotia; and the same in season as White Creaseback or 

 Cutshort. This variety differs from Kentucky Wonder 

 in color of seed, in having a much more vigorous vine, 

 more foliage, later in season, greater productiveness, and 

 in pods of much better quality; they being thicker and 

 more meaty. The foliage is more abundant and the 

 leaflets are less crumpled than those of Kentucky Wonder. 

 In general vigor and hardiness it resembles Scotia. Of 

 similar varieties Black Kentucky Wonder probably most 

 resembles White's Prolific but is later in season and has 

 larger, thicker, and more crease-backed pods. White's 

 Prolific is similar to Missouri Wonder or Rhode Island 

 Butter Pole. 



Plant a climber of large growth, 4 J i to 5 feet high with spread 

 at base of plant of about 2} •> feet; very compact, extremely vigorous, 

 of very long bearing period, and extremely productive; thick 

 stemmed, many branches, which are green throughout in the 

 younger stages but later the branches become somewhat reddish 

 tinged. Foliage very abundant, dark green; leaflets very large, 

 broad, flat smooth surface, occasionally somewhat crumpled, medium 

 thick. Flowers white. 



Pods light green in color. Quality good, brittle, very fleshy, 

 somewhat stringy, practically fiberless but rather coarse in texture. 

 Size long, quite broad and moderately slender, (,7-9 x Jg x l /z inches), 



containing 7-9 seeds per pod. Shape flat, oval to cordate through 

 cross-section, fairly straight, slightly crease-backed, regular, not 

 crowded, smooth, filled to the tip and edge and rounded at the 

 end. Spur short, thick and slightly recurved. Suture, placental is 

 slightly indented and carpellary, moderately obtuse. 



Seeds medium, 1.45 x .75 x .55 cm. 1 80 per oz.), medium 

 broad, flat sub-reniform, long ova! thru cross-section, flattened 

 altho occasionally fairly plump; ends rounded. Hilum small and 

 flat to slightly indented. Color shining jet black over the entire 

 surface after a very light bloom has been removed. 



Blue-Podded Pole. Refs. 98. This variety was 

 noticed in the United States at various times before it 

 was grown at this Station in 1883, when it was said to be 

 chiefly characterized by the dark purple color of the pods. 



Plant very vigorous, tall-climbing, medium late in season, 

 and very productive of immense pods, 10 inches long, very broad 

 and heavy and much swollen over beans, giving a very irregular 

 profile from side or edge, somewhat curved, very short-tipped, 

 completely stringless and fiberless, very strongly marked violet, 

 which color rapidly disappears in cooking. Seeds rather large, 

 broad, flat, kidney-shaped, often transversely bent, light brown or 

 dun, faintly mottled with chocolate, evidently darkened down from 

 the " rose-salmon streaked with grayish lilac " of Deanaiffe's seeds 

 of " Cosses violettes," which were of the same shape, including 

 the distortion. 



Bulgarian. Refs. 47. From the name this is 

 supposedly of southeastern European origin. It was 

 introduced into France in 1890, and grown in this 

 country only at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Growth 

 data and uses were not given by Irish; but Denaiffe 

 commends the variety highly for its heavy, continuous 

 production of beautiful pods of fair quality, but says 

 it was rather late for northern or northeastern France 

 although considered one of the best for the central 

 section of the country. 



In Missouri: Plants 2-3 feet tall, climbing, but with few 

 runners; leaflets small, light green, slightly wrinkled, quite thin. 

 Flowers purplish. Pods 4 to 5 inches long, slightly curved, nearly 

 1 i inch wide, sub-cylindrical, short-tipped, green blotched with 

 purple. Seeds very large, half as wide as long, ovate oblong, 

 slightly kidney-shaped, reddish brown or drab, striped and splashed 

 drab. 



Burger Stringless. Refs. 48, 52, 76, 91. Syns. 

 White-Seeded Kentucky Wonder. Vaughan in 1903 

 introduced this variety as " new, one of the best pole 

 beans, pods long, green, absolutely stringless; beans 

 small, white, long, season." It is probably identical 

 with Martens' Longhulsize Speckbohne, (Long-podded 

 Bacon-bean) from which the variety McCaslan also 

 came. Burger Stringless is probably of German origin 

 and represents an old type of bean. While it was intro- 

 duced into this country in 1903, it was not until 10 years 

 later that it was used to any great extent, gradually 

 increasing in popularity until in 1921 it was fisted under 

 several names by about 75 seedsmen. The pods were 

 ready to pick in 64 days, the same in season as Kentucky 

 Wonder. In plant habit it also resembles Kentucky 

 Wonder, with its scanty foliage, large leaflets, and short 

 producing season. The pods are somewhat smoother 

 and much less constricted between seeds. An improved 

 strain, St. Louis Perfection White, was introduced in 

 1927 by Ferry. 



Plant small for a pole bean, 4 ft. tall with very little spread at 

 base; good climbing habit but rather lacking in vigor, open in habit, 



