520 



FORCING KIDNEY-BEANS AND PEAS, 



a little protection, the plants, although pushed above ground, are preserved 

 through the winter, and, in consequence, afford an early supply of genuine 

 young potatoes. — (G. Ji"., ii., p. 464, and v., p. 107.) 



1102. The sweet potato (Convolvulus Batatas, Z,,), though but little 

 cultivated in British gardens, is imported from Spain and sold in the fruit- 

 shops. It is cultivated in the open air in the neighbourhood of New York 

 (G. M. vol. V. p. 275) during their hot summers, and on dung-beds in the 

 neighbourhood of Paris, where it is sold in the market and the fruit-shops, 

 and much esteemed. The best crops that we saw in 1828 were in Admiral 

 Tchitchigoflf's garden at Sceaux. The tubers are planted in February, or 

 earlier or later at pleasure, and in the pine-stove or in a small hotbed ; and 

 the shoots they produce are taken off and planted a foot apart every way, on 

 dung-beds, covered with 15 inches of earth and protected by hoops and mats 

 in the manner of ridged cucumbers. This may be done any time from April to 

 June, and the shoots are not dibbled in, but laid down in drills about 3 inches 

 deep, keeping 2 inches of the point of the shoot above the earth. In about 

 two months after transplanting, some of the tubers will be fit to take off for 

 use, and the plants will continue producing till they are destroyed by frost. 

 To preserve the tubers through the winter the greatest care is required. In 

 the King's forcing- gardens at Versailles, they are kept in a growing state all 

 the winter in the pine-stoves. ^Vith the exception of this difficulty of pre- 

 serving the tubers through the winter, the sweet potato is just as easily 

 cultivated as the common potato. Though the shoots are naturally ascend- 

 ing and twining, like those of Tamus communis, the plants are not sticked, 

 and therefore the shoots cover the ground, and form over it a thick matting 

 of dark green smooth foliage. In the early part of the season, the tubers 

 are taken off as they attain the size of early kidney potatoes ; later the 

 whole crop is dug up. If the sweet potato were once fairly introduced into 

 British gardens, we have no doubt it would form an article of regular 

 culture there. {G. M. v. 276 ) 



1103. The Ojcalis Deppei, which, it will be found from our Culinary 

 Catalogue, produces tubers, stems, and foliage, that are much esteemed ; and 

 the Tropasolum tuberosum, which also produces eatable tubers, with the 

 flavour of sea-kale or the richest asparagus, may be forced in the same 

 manner as the potato. 



Sect. XIII. — Forcing Kidney-beans and Peas. 



1104. The kidney-bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, Z.), being a native of India, 

 may be forced in the same heat as that required for the pine-apple ; but 

 although it will bear this extreme, it will succeed in a temperature very much 

 lower. The varieties generally preferred are — the early speckled, early 

 negro, and dun-coloured dwarf, the latter being thought the best. They are 

 planted in equal parts of rotten dung reduced to a soil, and loam, in shallow 

 24-sized pots : place in the bottom of the pot one inch of crocks, and above 

 them 1 inch of soil ; then plant six beans, covering them with 1 inch more 

 of soil. These pots may be stowed away in any corner of the stove till the 

 plants appear above ground, when they must be brought near the glass, and 

 thinned out to two or three of the best plants. As they advance, they must 

 be earthed up ; and the leader may be pinched off, to render them short and 

 bushy. When they come into flower, air must be admitted, to set the fruit ; 

 and every pod must be gathered as soon as it is fit for the table, not to rob 



