228 
VEGETABLE GARDENING 
with the pod; this class is also known as string beans, 
although a good string bean is stringless. “Green shell” 
beans are those which are shelled and used before fully 
ripe, in distinction from dry shell beans, or those which 
are allowed to ripen before harvesting and cookin g. All 
green shell beans may be permitted to mature, when they 
can then be used as dry shell beans. 
290. Composition. — All classes of beans possess high 
nutritive value, due to their large percentage of protein. 
The following table gives the composition of beans com- 
pared with other foods: 
Composition of Fresh and Dried Beans Compared with 
that of Other Foods* 
Material 
Water 
Protein 
Fat 
Carbo- 
hydrates 
Ash 
Fuel 
value 
per lb. 
Fresh Beans 
% 
% 
% 
% 
% 
calories 
String beans 
89.2 
2.3 
0.2 
7.4 
0.8 
195 
Shelled kidney beans 
58.9 
9.4 
0.6 
29.1 
2.0 
740 
Shelled lima beans . . 
68.5 
7.1 
0.7 
22.0 
1.7 
570 
Dried beans 
Lima beans 
10.4 
18.1 
1.5 
65.9 
4.1 
1.625 
Navy beans 
12.6 
22.5 
1.8 
59.6 
3.5 
1,605 
Potatoes 
78.3 
2.2 
0.1 
18.4 
1.0 
385 
Cabbage 
91.5 
1.6 
0.3 
5.6 
1.0 
145 
Rolled Oats 
7.7 
16.7 
7.3 
66.2 
2.1 
1,850 
Wheat breakfast foods 
9.6 
12.1 
1.8 
75.2 
1.3 
1,700 
Lean beef 
70.0 
21.3 
7.9 
— 
1.1 
730 
Eggs 
73.7 
14.8 
10.5 
1.0 
720 
291. Importance. — All classes of beans are grown ex- 
tensively for commercial purposes and the home garden 
is not complete without varieties representing each class. 
Snap or string beans are grown largely in the southern 
and Atlantic Coast states for the northern markets and 
are produced locally for the markets in all parts of the 
♦Adapted from table. Farmers’ Bulletin 221, p. 17- 
