DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES 



87 



and occasionally inclined to be somewhat blunt or squared. Hilum 

 large, flat. Color dull and occasionally greenish white, indistinctly 

 marked with darker shaded, converging lines from the hilum to the 

 dorsal margin. Surface smooth. Quality excellent. 



Detroit Mammoth. This variety was introduced 

 by D. M. Ferry & Company in 1917, apparently after 

 many years of careful selection. Although of consider- 

 able importance as a type, this particular variety is 

 listed by comparatively few seedsmen. The plant is 

 very similar to Challenger with foliage perhaps slightly 

 darker. Pods and seeds look identical to Burpee's Giant 

 Podded, varying in size, as suggested in the discussion 

 of that variety, with some strains that produce pods as 

 much as 7 to 9 inches long and 1 } ± to 1 } 2 inches wide 

 down to the more average figure reported in the detailed 

 description. 



Extra Early Jersey. Refs. 8, 9, 24, 29, 45, 48, 58, 

 59. 63, 75, 91. Syns. Bliss's Extra Early Pole Lima. 

 Bliss, Early Jersey, Extra Early, Jersey. This well- 

 known variety originated in Lewaren, N. Y., and was 

 introduced by B. K. Bliss and Sons as Bliss's Extra Early 

 in 1878. It later acquired the name Jersey by some 

 combination of which it has been known ever since. 

 It is considered quite satisfactory for home gardens, 

 but Seiberts Pole and Leviathan are more desirable 

 for both home and market gardens. At Geneva, 

 Early Jersey was one of the earliest of the large- 

 seeded pole limas, coming into bearing in 99 days, 5 

 days earlier than Dreer's Improved, 3 days earlier than 

 Seiberts, and 2 days later than Small White. Extra 

 Early Jersey somewhat resembles Seibert, differing from 

 this variety in being a few days earlier, less productive, 

 and with smaller pods and seeds. It also compares 

 similarly with Large White, being slightly earlier in 

 season and having shorter pods. 



Plant large, climbing 5 feet or better with a 2 foot spread at 

 base: moderately productive; vigorous, multi-branched, thick- 

 stemmed, moderately long bearing season. Foliage abundant, 

 medium to dark green, no grayish tinge present, smooth, light 

 veined, very slight amount of pubescence and medium thick. 

 Leaflets medium large, 5x3 inches, broad, petioles moderately long. 

 Flowers white, becoming cream colored with age, peduncles moder- 

 ately long. 



Pods medium dark green. Size medium long, very broad 

 and moderately slender (4— 4} 2 x 1-1 }{ x -fg— } 2 inches), containing 

 3^4 seeds per pod. Shape flat, long oval to oblong ovate in cross- 

 section, moderately curved, occasionally slightly twisted, straight 

 backed, somewhat constricted, not crowded, smooth, filled to tip 

 but not to the edge and square at the end. Spur very short and 

 indistinct, stout and straight. Suture, placental is flat to slightly 

 indented and carpellary, acute. 



Seed medium to large, 2.0xl.45x.55 cm. (20-25 per oz.). 

 Nearly semicircular, somewhat sub-reniform, moderately long, broad, 

 flattened, elliptical thru cross-section; ends uniformly rounded. 

 Hilum medium, flat and slightly incurved. Color white with a 

 slight greenish tinge, marked with darker shaded, indistinct, con- 

 verging lines from the hilum to the dorsal margin. Surface relatively 

 smooth. Quality fair to good. 



Florida Butter. Refs. 91. Syns. Old Florida 

 Pole, Speckled Beauty, Speckled Pole Lima, Spotted 

 Butter. This lima is one of the oldest of its type. 

 Its origin is unknown to the authors, but inasmuch 

 that Burr listed a small sieva type pole lima, known 

 as Mottled Sieva, it is quite possible that it was the 



type forerunner of the present-day Florida Butter. 

 The rise and decline of the variety's popularity have 

 been quite periodical. At the time of Tracy and 

 Jarvis, the variety was little known, since Tracy states 

 that the variety was no longer listed by American 

 seedsmen. However, about 1910 or 1911 the variety 

 was revived and once more listed. Florida Butter 

 has been and still is most suitable for the southern 

 states. It is considered by many the most prolific of 

 limas, and as such has gained an important position in 

 the cropping system of southern growers. The vine and 

 the size and shape of the seed readily classify it as a 

 member of the sieva group, but the characteristic color 

 markings on the seeds make it a distinct variety. It has 

 been confused by some with Jackson Wonder, Calico, and 

 Mottled, but on the basis of seed characteristics it can- 

 not be considered synonymous with them. Undoubtedly 

 Florida Butter seed has been sold as Calico, thus leading 

 to confusion. With the exception of seed color, the 

 variety is most similar to Small White, differing from 

 that variety in being slightly more vigorous of vine and 

 a trifle more productive, although slightly later in season 

 in most localities. At Geneva, Florida Butter produced 

 edible seeds in 97 days, the same as for Small White, 

 1 week earlier than Dreer's Improved, and 5 days earlier 

 than King of the Garden. 



Plant similar to Sieva, tall, climbing 5-8 feet or more, with 

 a 2 ft. spread at the base of plant. Vigorous, large yielder over a 

 comparatively long bearing season. Stem moderately slender, 

 multi-branched. Foliage abundant, dark glossy green, smooth, 

 light-veined. Without pubescence and medium thick and leathery. 

 Leaflets medium, very broad, 3] ox 2^4 inches, occasionally some- 

 what larger, but always in the same proportion. Petioles moderately 

 long, slender. Flowers white. Peduncles long, clustered, rather 

 limp. 



Pods medium dark green. Size short to medium, fairly broad, 

 and quite slender (3-3 }4 x % x ]4~ vs inches), containing 3 seeds 

 per pod. Shape flat, long oval to oblong ovate in cross-section, 

 slightly curved, somewhat curled or twisted from side to side, 

 straight backed, regular, not crowded, smooth, filled to the tip but 

 not to the edge and gradually rounded, almost tapering at the end. 

 Spur moderately long, slender and straight. Suture, placental is 

 flattened and carpellary, acute. 



Seeds small, 1.55 x 1.05 x .45 cm. (70-75 per oz.), broad sub- 

 reniform, somewhat semicircular, flat, elliptical thru cross-section; 

 ends, one somewhat wider and more evenly rounded than the other. 

 Hilum medium, flat and slightly incurved. Color light buff (Tillent- 

 buff) blotched and irregularly spotted with reddish brown (Hessian 

 brown), deep maroon (Harp maroon), or nearly black over one end 

 and a portion of the sides, hilar and dorsal surfaces. The buff 

 colored portion is very finely speckled with the same variations of 

 shades; a moderately wide, purplish-black eye-ring is evident. 

 Surface smooth; quality fair to good. 



Fords Mammoth. Refs. 8, 24, 41, 48, 58, 59, 85, 



91. Syns. Ford, Fords Extra Large Mammoth, Fords 

 Mammoth-Podded Lima, Mammoth Kidney-shaped. 

 The variety originated with James Ford, a market 

 gardener near Frankford, Pa., as a selection from Large 

 White. It was introduced by Johnson and Stokes in 

 1889 who had purchased the entire stock of the originator. 

 The variety has often been considered quite similar to 

 King of the Garden in utility and value. Although the 

 pods and seeds are supposed to be larger than the above- 

 named variety, it has never approached the position of 



