260 ~ QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1898, 
The beans of this variety are similar in shape and size to the Common 
Lima, but instead of being white like that variety they are mottled, brownish- 
mahogany, and dirty white, spotted with brownish-mahogany. This variety wag 
planted on 2nd November, and the growth during the summer and ear] 
autumn was slow. It commenced bearing in June, but no beans were fully 
matured till August. It has blossomed and fruited well during the Winter, 
but has not made as strong a growth as the preceding variety. It will probably 
prove of considerable. value for green-crop manuring, but it should certainly be 
grown as a vegetable to a much larger extent than it is at present. Like the 
preceding variety it should be grown over a strong trellis if a crop of seed ig 
desired, as it sets its fruit much better off than when allowed to trail on the 
ground. ‘Two other varieties of this species were tested—viz., the Common 
Lima and Burper’s Bush Lima; but, as these varieties are more valuable for their 
seeds than for the amount of green stuff that they produce, they can be left 
out of account as pulses suitable for green-crop manuring. 
The other class of pulses tested consists of varieties of Dolichos Lablaj— 
the Lablab or Sim Bean of India; and of these the one of greatest promise wag 
obtained by me from Mr. Fraser, of Stone River, near Ingham, and is locally 
known as the Poor Man’s Bean, though quite distinct from the Sword Bean 
(Canavalia gladiata), which is also known as the Poor Man’s Bean. 
POOR MAN’S BEAN. 
This bean is known botanically as Dolichos Lablab, var. purpureus, or ag 
Dolichos purpureus (Maiden), ard is sometimes called the Tonga Bean 
(Maiden). 
The flowers, stems, and pods are of a purplish colour, and the pods when 
young can be used as French beans. The beans are roundish oval, having a 
prominent white keel, with which they are attached to the pod, and are of a 
darkish-brown colour more or less mottled or speckled. Specimens of this 
bean are to be found in many of the coastal districts of the colony, but it has 
not been cultivated. to any extent, nor do I know of anyone who has tried it 
for green-crop manuring. 
At Redland Bay it has made an extraordinary growth, beating every other 
variety of pulse that we have tested, both as regards the quantity of green stuff 
and of seed. 
It was planted on the 2nd November in a row, single seeds being planted 
4 feet apart in the row. The beans were staked, a light trellis consisting of an 
upright of about 6 feet in height placed alongside of each bean and connected 
on the top with light saplings, and the beans were trained ‘over same. This 
trellis was, however, quite inadequate, as the beans made such a vigorous 
growth that they not only completely covered the trellis, but they also formed 
a dense mass on the ground to at least 15 feet on each side of the trellis, which 
effectually checked the growth of all weeds. 
_,Like the Small Mauritius Bean the growth at first was not rapid, but as 
soon as the plants started to run the growth has been very vigorous. ‘The 
plants commenced to blossom in June, and haye continued to blossom and 
ripen their pods throughout the winter, the plants at present (September 1st) 
being a mass of flowers and pods. Unlike the other pulses tested, this bean 
seems to fruit equally as well when growing on the ground as when ona trellis, 
so that its cultivation for seed will not necessitate trellising, although it may be 
advisable to do so, as the pods will probably mature better when trellised than 
when allowed to lie on or near the ground. The manurial and feeding value 
of this bean will be carefully tested during the coming season, and should same 
rove to be satisfactory it will, on account of its extremely vigorous growth, be 
a valuable addition to our green manures. 
