THE SCARLET RUNNER BEAN. 
209 
richest plants from all the houses. It seems 
carpeted with verbenas of many colours ; the 
climbing plants are displaying their beauty, 
and there is a complete mass of flower. The 
rhododendrons and azaleas are making rapid 
growth — I mean those large plants in the 
ground ; but the potted plants of that family, 
as well, as camellias, are all turned out to a 
shady part of the garden. 
The lawn and shrubbery, with the flower 
borders and beds, all look very pretty, but 
here there is a good deal of work required. 
The lawn is mown continually, some portion 
every morning before the dew is off the grass: 
for after it is dry the scythe takes no hold of 
it, and it is very difficult to make the least 
impression. 
The fruit-garden is now very interesting, 
for the trees are absolutely loaded; this is 
one of the effects of the pruning. The fruit 
is swelling much finer than it did last year, 
and there will be a greater quantity by 
measure. The peaches and nectarines are 
dispersed all over the trees at equal distances; 
there seems to be nothing nearer together 
than six inches. Now the fruit has been 
picked while very small to regulate this so 
well, and the consequence is, that it looks all 
alike fine. Had the whole of the fruit that came 
on the tree been allowed to remain, none 
would have been so fine, and the young wood 
could not have been so strong, because the 
fruit would have taken up all the juices of the 
tree, which would have been greatly impaired 
for next year's bearing. The only cause of 
years of scarcity in fruit following years- of 
plenty, is the damage which the excess of 
fruit does to the trees; and if this excess were 
removed in time, there need be no such dis- 
tinctions as scarce and plentiful fruit years in 
general, though serious storms and blights 
might occasionally make exceptions. 
THE SCARLET RUNNER BEAN. 
Perhaps there is no more profitable vege- 
table for a family than the scarlet runner bean, 
which in good soil and situation will bear for 
two months in succession, and under good 
treatment produce an incredible supply. The 
principal conditions required are plenty of 
room, ample support, and good strong ground. 
In the first place, they should be a foot apart 
in the row, and if they are to grow in an 
open space the rows should be six feet 
asunder. There are two methods of ma- 
naging this vegetable ; first, sow in a patch 
which can be well protected in case of frost, 
the quantity likely to be required, not more 
than an inch asunder, and cover them one 
inch deep. This may be done in March ; and 
being carefully protected by litter they will 
be up strong, and be forward enough to plant 
out early in May. Let the ground be dug 
well ; and if there were manure for the pre- 
vious crop none need be used for this crop. 
Take up the beans carefully without break- 
ing the roots, and separate them so that they 
may be dibbled in one foot apart, and the 
rows, if there be more than one, should be 
six feet from each other ; but as they form 
an excellent blind to any disagreeable object, 
they may be planted against a bare wall, or 
palings, or a bad fence of any kind ; only they 
must be planted sufficiently distant to have 
plenty of air through them. The best mode 
of supporting them against such places as 
these may be common packthread fastened to 
hooks or nails, at the top of the fence or 
wall if tall enough ; but if dwarf, it will be 
better to place proper sticks. Bean-sticks 
may be purchased by the bundle, from eight 
to ten feet long and branching. These must 
be stuck firmly into the ground, and stand 
perfectly independent ; and to obtain the 
greatest advantage there should be plenty of 
room to go behind them, not only on account 
of the crop, which will be greater, but for the 
convenience of getting them. 
The other method of growing them is to 
sow them in the rows as they are to stand; 
but they will be a month later, for they ought 
not to be sown before April. Many persons 
who rely on the bean for a long supply of 
vegetables plant both ways, and so have two 
crops. When the first crop, which i3 planted 
out, has got hold of the ground and begun to 
grow, they should be earthed up, and the 
sticks, or supports, placed to them, and during 
their growth the space between them should 
be frequently hoed to keep it clear of weeds. 
The second crop, which is sown in the rows 
where they are to grow, should be earthed up 
as soon as they have got a pair of rough 
leaves, and likewise have their sticks. In 
gathering this vegetable it should be borne in 
mind, that they are in perfection when grown 
to a large size, and until the beans within 
them begin to swell ; therefore, begin early, 
and take only the largest, before, however, 
they get too old. As seed is desirable, any 
that are overlooked till too old, should be left 
on the haulm to ripen ; but they last twice as 
long if none are left to swell beyond the eat- 
ing state. Half a pint of beans will make 
a good row capable of affording scores of 
dressings ; but according to the consumption, 
which depends a good deal on whether it is 
a general favourite or not with the family, so 
must be the quantity sown. If any are left 
on for seed, they should be gathered as soon 
as the bean changes brown, and be kept in 
their pods till wanted. 
