LIMA BEANS. 



248 



slightest frost will destroy tliem if tliey chance to vege- 

 tate. The tenth of April is early enough in this climate. 

 Plant in hills five feet apart each way, around a good pole 

 eight or ten feet high, driven two feet into the earth. If 

 the poles are too high they are late in coming into bearing 

 " and out of reach in gathering. In planting the Lima and 

 other beans, place the eye downward and the narrow end 

 the lowest as the bean always rises from the ground in 

 that position, and if not planted right it has to turn itself 

 over in the soil, and if prevented by any obstruction from 

 turning over it is sure to rot in the ground. Planted in 

 this way, they come up sooner, better, and more evenly. 

 Cover about an inch and a half deep. Put four or five 

 beans around each pole, and when well up take out the 

 weakest, leaving but three plants. A quart of butter- 

 beans will plant about four hundred hills. The subse- 

 quent culture consists in keeping the ground frequently 

 hoed when the vines are dry. They will continue in 

 bearing until cut off by the hard frosts. 



For Seed. — Gather both the Lima and Kidney beans 

 when ripe and dry them thoroughly. The seed should 

 be kept pure by planting the varieties at a distance from 

 each other. As they are certain to be devoured by bugs, 

 if saved in paper bags, put them up in glass bottles or 

 earthen jugs well corked. Into each one pour before 

 corking, a teaspoonful of spirits of turpentine. The tur- 

 pentine odor will destroy the bugs without injuring the 

 vitality of the bean, if the vessel is tightly corked. 



Use. — The tender fleshy pods of snap-beans are a favor- 

 ite summer vegetable, very delicate, wholesome, and 

 moderately nutritive. They are boiled and also pickled, 

 and may be preserved for winter use, by cutting them 

 into pieces and laying them down in salt. They will 

 make their own brine, and must be kept covered by it or 



