70 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



Algerian Tall Black Wax or Butter Bean.— A very distinct 

 and well-known kind, probably the oldest of the varieties which 

 are called Wax or Butter Beans from the colour of their pods. It 

 is a plant of medium height, seldom exceeding about 6^ ft, with 

 rather thick pale or yellow-green stems sometimes tinged with 

 violet ; leaves of average size, not much crimped, gradually 



decreasing in size from the 

 base to the top of the stem, 

 and slightly ashy gray. 

 The pods, which are green 

 at first, assume, when they 

 are about 2 in. long, a pale 

 yellow semi - transparent 

 tinge, very much resem- 

 bling that of butter or 

 fine wax ; they are usually 

 somewhat curved, each 

 containing from four to 

 six seeds, which are blue 

 at first, then violet, and 

 when ripe quite black, and 

 of a slightly flattened egg- 

 shape, and a trifle longer 

 than those of the Prague 

 Kidney Beans. This is a 

 productive and moderately 

 early kind, and one of the 

 best of the Edible-podded 

 varieties. The pods are 

 entirely free from mem- 

 brane, and have hardly 

 any fibre, so that they are 

 quite tender and fleshy 

 when fully grown, and 

 may be sent to table 

 almost until they are per- 

 fectly ripe. The dried 

 seeds are seldom eaten 

 on account of their very dark and unattractive colour. 



Edible-podded Giant White Kidney Bean. — This very fine 

 variety appears to be the offspring of the Purple-podded Kidney 

 Bean, of which it exhibits all the vigorous and productive qualities; 

 it has, moreover, the advantage of producing green pods and white 

 seeds, thus being free from the only two blemishes that can be 

 attributed to the Purple-podded Kidney Bean, viz. the objectionable 

 colour of its pods and seeds. It is a half-late but productive kind, 



Black Algerian Butter Bean (j'^- natural size). 



