32 



THE VEGETABLES OF NEW YORK 



less. As they mature they resemble pods of Kentucky 

 Wonder Wax but are more slender and a week later in 

 season. The seed resembles seed of Dwarf Kidney Wax 

 in size and shape. 



Plants like those of Golden Cluster. Pods differ only in 

 slightly greater length and slightly less width with greater thick- 

 ness, all tending to make them appear more slender, of equally good 

 color and quality. They also show slight, very long S-curve. Seeds 

 small, about 125 to the ounce, about ?g > ncn long, or slightly more, 

 about one-half as wide, long oblong or slightly kidney-shaped, with 

 short -rounded ends, narrow oval in cross-section, with markings 

 like Horticultural beans, but duller, — background putty colored, 

 and markings brownish. 



Black German. Refs. 15, 48. Plant, foliage, and 

 flowers of Black German and Indian Chief are indis- 

 tinguishable and the history and description are given 

 under the latter as the better known of the two. The 

 pods of Black German are straighter, broader, flatter, 

 with a less well-defined point and are more depressed 

 between the beans, which are shorter, more nearly 

 globose, more regular and deep, shining black. 



Broad Wax. Gregory listed this variety in 1885 

 among the select varieties of recent years. The pods 

 were enormously broad and long, exceeding in size any 

 pole bean cultivated; which seems to be confirmed by 

 compared figures of Broad Wax and Giant Wax. Nothing 

 has been found regarding the history of the variety, 

 although it seems similar in most respects to one of the 

 sub-varieties of Intestin of which the pods are light 

 green becoming yellow toward maturity and much 

 thicker than wide, a marked characteristic of Broad Wax 

 (properly " Thick " Wax). Gregory credits the variety 

 with extreme earliness for a pole bean, but the Intestin 

 varieties are midseason or late. From appearance of 

 pod, the seeds are evidently thick, broad ovoid, and from 

 general resemblance to Intestin, probably white. It is a 

 string and green-shell bean, early and fairly productive. 



California. Refs. 90. According to Burr, who 

 did not mention the California in his original treatise 

 on vegetables, its true name and origination are unknown, 

 the common name being given in accordance with a 

 custom then quite common in the east of calling " Cali- 

 fornia " any new fruit, flower, or vegetable originally 

 received from that state. The variety was grown to 

 quite an extent on the Pacific Coast of South America, 

 in some parts of California, and in the Sandwich Islands. 

 It was early, pods being ready for use in 9 weeks from 

 May 20th, and seeds ripe in 3 weeks more; hardy, 

 productive, holding over long season, much used for 

 string beans, but most valued for the green shell beans 

 which are of excellent quality. 



Plant healthy, vigorous, 6 feet tall or more; flowers white. 

 Pods long, broad, flat, green, changing to cream yellow. Seeds 

 6 to 8, kidney-shaped, J jj inch long, J g inch wide, clear ochre-yellow. 



Fillbasket Wax. Refs. 28, 47, 52. Syns. Wax 

 Case Knife. There are two strains of pole beans with 

 this name, one of which originated in Germany shortly 

 before 1899 and was grown in the Missouri Botanical 

 Garden tests, but otherwise seems unknown in America. 

 Irish called it Wax Case Knife, and described it as 

 identical with Caseknife except that the pods are waxy 



yellow. The other strain is green podded and was 

 described by Denaiffe as a sub-variety of Case Knife, 

 much shorter in vine with longer and narrower pods 

 and longer seeds. This green podded Fillbasket was also 

 grown and described in the trials of the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society in 1918. There is also a dwarf sort 

 called Fillbasket Wax. 



Flageolet Wax. Refs. 90. This bean is said to 

 be of German origin, although the name is French. The 

 Flageolet Beurre a Rames, however, which should be 

 this variety and apparently corresponds to it in many 

 ways, is described by Denaiffe as very stringy and fibrous 

 except in very early stages, which is entirely different 

 from the character given it in America. 



Plant early, very productive, with pods in clusters, borne close 

 to ground, 7 ! 2 to 8 inches long, round, full, fleshy, stringless, rich 

 golden yellow, " most half-transparent look of any bean." Seeds 

 large, long kidney-shaped, reddish brown. 



Giant Red. Refs. 45, 63, 66, 97, 98. This is 

 not the same as the Runner bean commonly known in 

 England as Red Giant but is an American variety said 

 to have been introduced to Philadelphia growers in 1866. 

 As grown at Geneva in 1882 it was much later than 

 Indian Chief and less productive. Burr in 1862 did 

 not mention it nor did Irish have it in his trials. The 

 pods were not of the highest quality for use as string 

 beans but were excellent for green shells. 



Vines large, leaves abundant, broad oval, slightly heart- 

 shaped, obtuse-tipped. Flowers large, white. Pods 7-8 inches 

 long, straight or slightly curved, broad, flat, much swollen by beans; 

 irregular, fleshy, succulent and tender, rather coarse-textured, 

 yellow, which color remains on cooking. Seeds 5 or 6, sometimes 8, 

 broad oval, slightly longer, not quite as plump as those of Indian 

 Queens, dark reddish brown. 



Golden Champion. Refs. 47, 48, 59, 91. Hender- 

 son, the introducer of this variety, procured seed from 

 Germany in 1890, the first listing occurring in his 1891 

 catalog. It was commended in a test at the Kansas 

 Station in 1891 because of its earliness and productivity; 

 but by 1901, when tested at the Missouri Botanical 

 Garden, it had either deteriorated or untrue stock had 

 been secured, as it was very short-podded. 



Pods long, slender, round, whitish yellow, smooth surfaced, 

 somewhat tough and stringy and of only fair quality. Seeds were 

 most typically kidney shaped, slender, and longest of any black- 

 seeded wax bean. 



Golden Cluster. Refs. 10, 14, 15, 29, 36, 48, 52, 



59, 63, 66, 67, 68, 77, 79, 84, 85, 91. Syns. White 

 Algerian, Early Golden Cluster Wax. In America, 

 Golden Cluster was introduced in 1806 by Henry A. 

 Dreer as Early Golden Cluster Wax Pole. Seed had 

 been procured from John Kramer of Doylestown, Pa., 

 who had originally procured stocks from Germany. 

 Golden Cluster was known to Martens, at least as a 

 type, and under the name White Algerian it was grown 

 in the Geneva trials in 1882. This White Algerian 

 strain, both at the Missouri Botanical Garden and in 

 early tests here, appeared shorter podded as compared 

 with Martens' description and figure or with some 

 stocks of Golden Cluster as grown in recent Geneva 

 tests. The popularity of Golden Cluster Wax has 



