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AMERICAN VARIETIES OF GARDEN BEANS. 



Pliaseolus multiflorus, the Multifiora bean, is represented in this 

 country by but 4 varieties, the only characteristic class distinction 

 between them being the pole and bush forms. 



HISTORY OF VARIETIES. 



Botanists now agree that Pliaseolus vulgaris, P. coccineus (P. 

 multiflorus), and P. lunatus are natives of America. It is equally 

 certain that Vicia faba and Vigna sesquipedalis (Dolichos sesquipe- 

 dalis) are of Old World origin. For a long time it was not definitely 

 known whether the different species were of Old or New World 

 origin, but the discovery of seeds in certain tombs and with mum- 

 mies and on old records has now made their origin more certain. It 

 is not yet positively known, however, in what particular region 

 the different species are native nor just where they were first culti- 

 vated by man. Broad beans were undoubtedly grown by the 

 ancient Egyptians, and kidney beans of many varieties were certainly 

 used by the American Indians at the time of the discovery of America. 

 Lima and Multifiora beans are also known to have been cultivated in 

 the New World for many centuries and the Asparagus beans to have 

 been used in China for a very long time. Kidney beans were probably 

 first carried over to Europe from America about the middle of the 

 sixteenth century, but did not come into general use on the Continent 

 until near the end of the century, while the Multifiora beans were not 

 disseminated till a later period. 



Of the 185 distinct varieties of beans now cultivated in this country, 

 only 15 were grown eighty years ago, or, if there were more, they must 

 have been known by quite different names from those they are known 

 by to-day. It is interesting to note that prior to 1815 American seeds- 

 men listed more varieties of Broad beans than at present. The early 

 settlers were apparently so accustomed to Broad beans in Europe that 

 they first endeavored to grow them here, arid it was only after it was 

 discovered that the climate of the New England and Middle Atlantic 

 States is unsuited to these beans that their general advertisement was 

 discontinued. In 1822 Thorburn listed 6 varieties of Broad beans, 8 

 of bush Kidney, 3 of pole Kidney, 1 of pole Lima, and 2 of the Multi- 

 flora. 



Previous to 1880 nearly all new types of garden beans came from 

 Europe, but since that time nearly all have had their origin in this 

 country. The first wax variety grown in America appears to have 

 been Black Wax Pole, which has been in use at least since 1860, while 

 Black Wax Bush, introduced from Germany about 1865, was prob- 

 ably the first wax bush variety. When introduced these beans 

 were probably not the stringless type that they are to-day, and 

 owing to changes which variety types have undergone it seems 



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