THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



109 



The crop is greatly enhanced, both natural-grown 

 and forced, by early and regular gathering of the 

 pods. It is an error to defer this until such times 

 as the produce is actually required for use, the result 

 being anything but tender vegetables, which, grow- 

 ing too long, tax the plants and limit the after- 

 supplies beyond what can be imagined. As a novelty 

 in this class, the American Black Wax, or Butter 

 Bean, possessing yellow, waxy, transparent pods, is 

 appreciated loy some people. In the same category 

 may be placed the "White Marrowfat, for use in the 

 shelled state, both green and dried. 



The best modern varieties are : Canadian Wonder, 

 Fulmer's ]Monster, 



Negro, 

 Ultra, 

 House. 



Ne 

 and 



Plus 

 Sion 



Bean, Runner 



(Phaseolus multi- 

 florus). French, 

 Haricots d Ravies ; 

 Spanish, Judias ; 

 German, Stangen 

 £ohne.— The Eun- 

 ner. Climbing, or 

 Pole Bean, known 

 commonly as the 

 Scarlet Runner, is 

 a native of South 

 America. The 

 name " Scarlet 

 Runner," though 

 intended to be ex- 

 planative, should 

 cease to be used, 



if but from the fact that a white-flowered variety 

 — known as the Dutch Runner — is more or less 

 grown. A sport from the former also gaining favour 

 amongst growers, having parti- coloured blooms, is 

 named Painted Lady. 



The Runner Bean, as its native babitat suggests, 

 is not so tender as the Dwarf Kidney Bean, though 

 it cannot withstand the injurious effects of more 

 than two or three degrees of frost. Both as a 

 garden and a field crop it is very general, its pods 

 being highly nutritious, and appreciated, owing to a 

 peculiar roughness they possess on the palate. It 

 will never, however, take the same place in uni- 

 versal estimation occupied by the highly succulent 

 and tender Dwarf form. 



Though the plant is hardier than is the Dwarf, 

 the seeds, nevertheless, are more liable to rot when 

 placed in the ground ; for which reason, rather than 

 from any other, sowing is deferred until later than 

 is always necessary. In light sandy soil this con- 



DwARF French Bean, Ne Plus Ultra. 



method is employe 

 ture for market. 



sideration is not so important. A light sandy loam, 

 and deep, is most suitable to it. When sown in such 

 soils as are naturally damp and tenacious, it is an 

 excellent plan to place a little dry ash in the trenches 

 or holes along with the seed at the time of sowing. 

 To neutralise the effects of too much latent moisture 

 in the soil, it should be dug up during dry weather, 

 a short time only before seed-sowing, digging in 

 manure of any kind freely. On any consideration 

 such late sowing as is often practised is not de- 

 sirable. Even should the young plant push through 

 the ground, and in its seed-lobe or most tender state 

 receive injury, the seed below has the power to push 



forth duplicate 

 growths, which 

 often prove more 

 productive than 

 the earlier one. 



Two distinct 

 systems of culture 

 are commonly 

 practised, i.e., pole 

 and dwarf culture. 

 In the former 

 system the young 

 plants have poles 

 or high sticks to 

 climb upon ; in the 

 latter, without such 

 aids, the plants are 

 kept "stopped," 

 the young growing 

 _ shoots being cut 



off as quickly as 

 any are seen to 

 form. This last 

 in connection with all field cul- 

 The result is, crops are much 

 earlier and more abundant, as many more plants 

 occupy a given space of ground, the whole strength 

 of each plant being thrown into flower and pod 

 formation. In due time this method will entirely 

 take the place of pole culture. 



For pole culture, parallel rows should be four feet 

 asunder. Place the seed in drills, two inches deep 

 and four inches apart, scattering some kind of dry 

 material over them, and draw the soil lightly over 

 them. This might be safely performed on IMay 1st 

 to 5th. When germination takes place, and the 

 plants are well above the ground, mould them up 

 deeply and well, place the poles to them, using care 

 not to injure the roots, and place a row of sawdust, 

 bran, barlej^ awns, or wheat chaff all around, to 

 deter slugs from injuring them, which they in- 

 variably do, if not prevented. \ATien the plants 

 are about three feet high, pinch off their points. 



