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9 
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1908 
APRIL, 
There are three well marked types of lima bzans, 
and dwarfs of each. The Kumerle 
flat beans, which are of delicious flavo1 
if gathered before they reach full size. 
This small-podded, early variety is most 
largely planted in the warm Southern 
states, where they are known as “butter 
beans” and are esteemed as being of a finer 
flavor than the large lima. The only draw- 
back concerning them is that they are not 
as easily shelled as the larger podded sorts, 
and it takes a large gathering of pods to 
make a dish of beans for the table. The 
small Carolina is the leading variety of 
this type and it is also sold under other 
names such as the Early Dawn, etc. 
Other varieties of the type differ in the 
colored markings of the dry seed, and 
are not so attractive when prepared for 
the table. 
The Large White Lima and its varieties 
is the type usually grown in the middle 
states. It has quite large, somewhat hairy 
leaves, and larger, broader pods, containing 
three very broad beans, and on the improved 
sorts, four, five, and even six beans to a pod. 
The New Early Leviathan is, I think, the 
earliest and most satisfactory of this type, 
being a quick, strong grower and a good 
and continuous bearer. The pods are 
straight, about five inches long and average 
four beans to a pod. Siebert’s Early and 
Early Jersey are popular early sorts with 
a broad, slightly curved pod and an average 
of three large beans to a pod. 
Of the very large podded sorts (five inches 
long) and which are correspondingly later 
in season, the King of the Garden is the 
leading variety, but there are several special 
selections offered by seedsmen under such 
names as Ford’s Mammoth Podded, etc., 
in which the trait of producing five or more 
very large beans to a pod has become fixed. 
To get good results from these very large 
podded sorts, the soil must be made almost 
excessively rich and the poles planted 
at a good distance apart (four feet at 
least). Cultivation must be thorough and 
constant. 
In a cool season these large limas may 
make an excessive growth of vine and 
foliage, when it is necessary to cut off the 
tops of the vines as soon as they reach the 
THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 
top of the pole, also trimming back the 
laterals to check growth. 
The third type of lima bean is the Potato 
or Challenger, also known as Dreer’s Lima. 
This has a less vigorous growth, smaller and 
more open foliage, the pods short and thick 
(three to four inches in length), with three 
or four very plump or rounded beans, 
crowded so closely in the pods as to have 
the ends slightly flattened as they rest against 
each other in the pod. It is a sure setter 
of pods and does well in cool weather, hence 
is quite largely planted for the fall mar- 
kets; but the beans are dry and more mealy 
in texture and less pleasing in flavor than 
either the Sieva or the Large White. They 
have, however, the merit of retaining a 
The tong crooked pod of the Onondaga. Better 
grow a straight podded sort 
more distinctly green color when cooked 
and in the dry seed bean. 
THE MERITS OF THE BUSH LIMAS 
From two to four weeks earlier than their . 
corresponding pole types are the bush forms 
of the foregoing. They avoid the labor 
and expense of providing poles, can be 
planted closer together, are more easily 
cultivated. Curiously enough the dwarts of 
all three types originated at about the same 
time, as sports from the tall growing sorts, 
and bear the same relation to each other. 
Dwarf Sieva or Henderson’s Bush Lima, 
the earliest, has small dark glossy leaves 
and smooth, shiny pods. Both pods and 
beans are comparatively small in size, but 
the young beans have a delicious flavor. 
The Wood’s Prolific or Improved Hender- 
son is rather stronger in growth, a little later 
—a week perhaps—and has pods and 
beans fully a third longer. 
Next in earliness comes the Burpee Bush 
Lima, the dwarf type of the large white 
Lima, having large, rough leaves and a 
large, broad, slightly curved pod, containing 
149 
two to three large beans. An earlier strain 
of this variety, selected to a dwarf and very 
compact type of growth, is offered under the 
names of Burpee’s Quarter Century and 
Dreer’s Wonder. These are developed in 
widely different localities by careful selection 
of the earliest beans and most compact 
growth, but are practically the same variety. 
A variety of this type introduced last season 
under the name of the Burpee Improved 
Bush Lima, is a very strong grower with 
extra large pods and beans, frequently com- 
ing with four and five beans to a pod, and 
resembling the large-podded King of the 
Garden in all but growth. 
The dwarf or bush type of the fat potato 
lima is known as the Kumerle or Dreer’s 
Bush Lima. The plants spread out on the 
ground about two feet on each side of the 
row. It is a sure setter and productive 
even in wet weather, but later in season than 
the other bush sorts. They are easily shelled 
but have a rather dry and chestnutty flavor 
as compared with the others. A variety 
of this introduced last spring as Fordhook, 
has plants more erect or bush-like, with 
larger pods and beans. 
ENGLISH BROAD BEANS 
As a green shell bean the Windsor or 
“horse bean” is highly esteemed abroad, 
and here, too, where it succeeds. The 
plants grow with a single stalk, stiffly erect, 
about two feet in height with hairy leaves 
of a silvery tint and a showy black and 
white blossom. The pods are three inches 
or more in length, quite round and well filled 
with large plump beans. The pods do not 
set well during our hot summer months, but 
a July planting will bear fairly well during 
the cool fall months and they can be grown 
successfully in a cocl location or in the South 
during the winter, where they are known and 
esteemed as “bacon beans.” 
Onondaga is a profitable bean as regards yield but 
its appearance is not attractive. Not much in favor 
