36 



THE VEGETABLES OF NEW YORK 



oval or ovate in cross-section, plump, considerably curved, with 

 pointed ends terminating in long curved tips, medium green in color. 

 Seeds 4 to 5, about 90 to the ounce, very short oval, or usually 

 ovate, about J 3 inch long, three-fourths as wide, very plump, with 

 strongly rounded ends, never truncate, pinkish fawn, distinctly 

 marked with large areas of lemon yellow, with quite wide purplish- 

 brown eye-ring, the purple color often extending in faint streaks 

 over ends of bean. 



Best of All. Refs. 14, 16, 26, 27, 29, 41, 47, 48, 

 51, 63, 80, 81, 91, 97, 98. Syns. Best Dwarf, Breck's 

 String and Shell, Earliest Green-pod, Isbell's Earliest, 

 McMillan's Prolific, Shipper's Favorite, Sion House, 

 Sutton's Dwarf Sugar, Turc. Tracy says Best of All 

 criginated in Germany and came to America about 1876. 

 We have been unable, however, to trace it definitely 

 to that country. Except for uncertain statements of 

 color, it seems the same as Marten's Phaseolus 

 oblongus turcicus. Several names, later made syno- 

 nyms with Best of All, were known quite early in France 

 and England. It is still occasionally listed and in its 

 better form is a very attractive and useful string bean. 

 It was formerly a favorite in southern markets, but also 

 considered very late in season for northern growing. 

 Best of All differs from Giant Forcer only in color of 

 seed; from Longfellow in seeds of different color and 

 shape and in slightly thicker, longer, and more curved 

 pods. 



Flant about 1 foot tall, not twining. Foliage dark green, 

 rough; leaflets large, obovate, taper pointed. Flowers blush pink. 

 Pods green when young, more or less blotched rose, smooth, almost 

 straight, constricted, with blunt, curved tip, 5 to 5'j inches long, 

 with 3 or 4 beans (Tracy describes two types, one flat -podded, much 

 like preceding; the other a later development, a round-podded type, 

 7 inches or more long, with 6 or 8 crowded seeds.) Seeds more 

 plump in round pod type, oblong, or broad kidney-shaped, with 

 ventral edge straight, slightly to considerably flattened, round oval 

 to flattened oval in cross-section, ends rounded or slightly com- 

 pressed, buff to light brown, mottled and streaked with dull red, with 

 yellow ring about the eye, quite similar to Horticultural beans in 

 color, but easily distinguishable by oblong, slightly flattened form. 



Black Belgian. This bean was known and com- 

 mended for earliness by Reichard, who wrote in 1821. 

 It was at one time a very popular and widely dis- 

 tributed variety, especially in Europe. It was grown at 

 Geneva in 1883 and 1884. 



Plant moderately vigorous, strictly dwarf, 5 / 6 to 1 foot tall, 

 compact; leaflets of medium size, somewhat pointed, but slightly 

 crumpled, dull pale green. Flowers lilac. Pods 4 to 4*4 inches 

 long, straight, green when young, later with purplish patches, 

 stringy, fibrous. Seeds 5, about 115 to the ounce, slightly less to 

 rather more than J > inch long, broad, elliptical, sometimes slightly 

 kidney-shaped, shining black. 



Black-Eyed China. Refs. 13. A variety men- 

 tioned only by Burr, and not traceable in England, 

 France or Germany. It was said to produce fair snap 

 pods and dried beans but was at its best when used for 

 shelling green; early, productive, ripening evenly. 



Slightly less vigorous than China Red-eye, with 5-inch pods 

 each containing 5 or 6 oblong seeds, one-half inch long, three- 

 eighths inch wide, slightly flattened, with ends usually rounded 

 but sometimes truncate, white, spotted and eye marked black. 



Black Prime. Refs. 48. This name does not 

 occur in American catalogs but Jarvis described it as 

 very similar to Black Valentine in pod, and in plant 



somewhat as Wonder of France. It originated in 

 France, probably with Denaiffe, about 1899. 



Plants more erect than those of Negro Long-pod; earlier and 

 more productive; but pods shorter, more curved, very dark green, 

 stringy. Seeds longer, possibly more plump, and more often 

 runcate at ends, shining black. 



Black Speckled. Refs. 47, 51, 93, 94, 97. Burr, 

 Wing and Irish described Black Speckled and it was 

 mentioned in the American Horticultural Annual. It 

 was of French origin, dating back to the middle of the 

 last century, and was best known in the gardens near 

 Paris. It was also grown in England and Germany. 

 This variety appears to correspond very closely to the 

 old, or fiat-podded type of Refugee, as several of Martens 

 synonyms are given for both. 



Plant dwarf, rather tall, 1 ' ■> feet or more, erect, much 

 branched, runnerless, very vigorous, early midseason. Foliage large, 

 abundant, deep green. Flowers lilac. Pods long, 4 to 6 inches, 

 with rather long tips, nearly circular in cross-section when young, 

 later, broad, flattened light green often marked purplish or violet, 

 becoming yellowish with age, stringy, fibrous in flattened stages, 

 but crisp and tender when young. Seeds 6, about •' ^ inch long, 

 hardly half as wide, not plump, oblong, or slightly kidney-shaped 

 with rounded ends, very rarely compressed, russet or fawn soon 

 changing to dark brown or almost black, spotted and splashed with 

 red. 



Black Valentine. Refs. 30, 41, 48, 49, 77, 88, 91. 



Syns. Black Seeded Valentine, French String, King of 

 the Earlies, King of the Earliest, May Queen. The 

 name Valentine seems to have been in common usage 

 for varieties of garden beans, yet in no case is the origin 

 of the particular sort which was chosen to bear the name 

 known. In 1897 Peter Henderson 8s Company intro- 

 duced two new beans, Black Valentine, which according 

 to Tracy may have been only a return of an old bean 

 of that name known before 1850, and Cream Valentine. 

 No explanation as to source or origin of either was noted. 

 Black Valentine seems to be the only black seeded green- 

 pod bean that has continued as a popular variety. 

 Denaiffe lists ten green-podded varieties having black 

 seeds, none of which are in usage in this country. 



Black Valentine is widely grown, especially in the 

 South, as a shipping bean, probably grown more than 

 its quality merits, altho if a stringless type becomes 

 available, this feature, together with its hardiness and 

 rather attractive pods will again warrant its retention 

 as a leading variety. It is not a home garden or canning 

 variety because of the black seed which develops color 

 quite early. It is a second early, 49 days at Geneva, 

 coming 3 to 5 days after the very earliest sorts such as 

 Bountiful and Stringless Greenpod. 



The pod characters resemble Longfellow, altho pods 

 are longer, flatter, and more perfect in shape and with 

 more parchment. The color of seed is different. Foliage 

 of Black Valentine is darker than Red Valentine, and 

 is of more open growth, the pods appearing more above 

 the foliage, but the plants are neither more erect nor 

 taller. 



Plant medium in size, from 12 to 14 inches tall with a spread 

 of 1 foot or slightly better; erect, rather open in habit, runnerless: 

 vigor only fair, but very hardy, moderately productive, pods borne 

 rather high. Stem heavy, round, smooth, short internodes; branches 



