622 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
December  30,  1897. 
VEGETABLES  FOR  HOME  AND  EXHIBITION. 
{Continued  from  page  521.) 
French  Beans. 
This  is  one  of  the  vegetables  that  occupy  the  attention  of 
gardeners  over  a  long  period — first,  in  a  forced  state ;  and  secondly,  in 
its  natural  season  outdoors  ;  therefore,  let  us  coniinence  by  dealing 
briefly  with  the  former  phase  of  culture.  Tlie  forcing  of  this  vegetable 
IS  not  a  difficult  matter  with  the  aid  of  one  or  more  low  span-roofed 
houses  with  good  heating  arrangements.  Sowing  may  be  commenced 
in  November  or  December,  and  the  plants  groAvn  in  beds,  provided 
these  are  close  to  the  glass.  A  pit,  in  which  bottom  heat  is  provided 
by  one  or  two  rows  of  pipes  underneath  the  bed,  is  the  best,  and 
over  these  should  be  placed  a  layer  of  leaves  or  other  loose  material. 
The  bed  need  not  be  more  than  a  foot  or  18  inches  deep,  and  may 
be  composed  of  soil  previously  used  for  Cucumber  or  Melon.  Stont, 
strong  growth  is  conducive  to  good  cropping,  and  though  this  is 
somewhat  difficult  to  obtain  when  the  weather  is  severe,  and  strong 
fire  heat  is  necessary,  every  care  should  be  taken  to  admit  air  un¬ 
favourable  occasions,  and  to  allow  the  plants  ample  room. 
An  average  heat  of  from  55°  to  60°,  increasing  with  the  growth 
of  the  plants  to  75°  and  80°,  will  generally  bo  found  suitable. 
Watering  is  another  important  matter,  and  forceil  Beans  should  never 
be  allowed  to  suffer  by  the  want  of  it.  Walls,  floor,  and  surroundings 
must  be  regularly  damped  with  the  syringe  to  keep  red  spider  in 
check,  as  this  pest  frequently  plays  havoc  with  forced  Beaus.  Care, 
how'ever,  should  be  taken  not  to  Avet  the  plants  when  in  flower 
during  the  dullest  part  of  the  winter,  and  at  this  period  the  supply 
should  be  lessened.  When  the  pods  are  swelling,  an  occasional 
watering  with  weak  liquid  manure  will  assist  the  plants,  and  the 
beans  should  be  gathered  directly  they  are  large  enough. 
Where  the  facilities  for  forcing  Dwarf  Beans  are  only  such  as  are 
provided  by  vineries  and  warm  plant  houses,  late  in  December  or  early 
in  the  new  year  is  soon  enough  to  begin.  Pots  or  propagating  boxes 
are  used  as  is  most  convenient.  If  the  former  are  employed  three 
or  four  plants  in  an  8-inch  pot  will  he  ample,  and  if  the  latter  a  double 
row  may  be  grown.  The  boxes  can  be  placed  on  the  water  pipes  to 
afford  bottom  heat  till  the  plants  appear.  They  should  then  be 
supported  by  short  Birch  twigs,  and  moved  close  to  the  light,  or  the 
growth  will  he  weak,  and  what  flowers  apnear  will  fail  to  set.  A 
second  sowing  should  be  made  when  the  plants  from  the  first  are 
removed  from  the  pipes. 
One  of  the  greatest  drawbacks  to  forcing  French  Beans  in  a  vinery 
is  the  susceptibility  of  the  plants  to  attacks  of  red  spider,  and  uuless 
close  attention  is  paid  the  pest  will  soon  spread  to  the  Vines.  Beans  in 
pots  may  be  forced  by  the  same  rules  in  Cucumber  and  Melon  pits. 
Among  the  varieties  most  suitable  for  this  phase  of  culture  are 
Earliest  of  All,  Osborn’s  Forcing,  and  Ne  Plus  Ultra. 
Turning  our  attention  now  to  outdoor  culture,  the  aim  of  most 
groAvers  is  to  obtain  a  dish  as  early  as  possible,  and  in  attempting  to 
do  this  a  very  important  point  is  frequently  lost  sight  of — namely, 
succession.  While  raising  no  argument  against  the  orthodox  rules  of 
soAving  and  gathering  as  early  as  possible,  one  is  surprised  that  more 
attention  is  not  paid  to  late 
cropping.  By  making  a 
sowing  of  a  good  early 
variety  in  July,  a  late  crop 
of  excellent  Beans  can  fre¬ 
quently  be  obtained  which 
proves  very  acceptable  in 
tlie  kitchen.  It  is  necessary 
to  bear  in  mind  two  points 
in  order  to  be  successful 
Avith  French  Beans  —  the 
first,  deep  cultivation  :  the 
second,  growing  thinly  to 
fully  allow  for  branching. 
The  former  may  be  ol  itained 
by  deejily  digging  the  soil 
and  Avorking  in  the  bottom 
of  the  trench  some  good 
farmyard  manure,  and  the 
latter  by  bearing  in  mind 
Avhat  the  plant  will  he  like  , 
Avhen  fully  deA’eloprd  and 
dispersing  the  seeds  accord¬ 
ingly. 
It  is  good  practice  to 
make  a  soAving  in  April 
w  here  the  young  plants  can  ' 
be  proteeted,  and  transfer 
them  to  the  permanent  roAvs 
during  showery  Aveather  in 
iMa}".  Under  this  treat¬ 
ment,  hoAvever,  a  little  leaf 
mould  should  be  mixed 
Avith  the  soil,  so  that  the 
plants  can  be  lifted  Avith 
balls  of  earth  adhering  to 
them.  Main  crops  should 
be  sown  in  succession  from 
the  end  of  April  to  June, 
and  a  late  sowing  of  an 
early  variety  be  made  as 
i  suggested  in  July.  Gathering  is  best  done  by  rule,  and  all  pods 
■  removed  as  they  mature,  AAffiether  AA-anted  for  immediate  use  or  not, 
I  as  by  leaving  them  on  a  check  is  caused  to  the  continual  bearing  that 
■  is  desirable.  High  standard  varieties  like  those  previously  mentioned 
Avill  meet  the  requirements  of  groAvers  either  for  home  or  exhibition. 
Just  a  AA'ord  respecting  the  latest  addition  to  the  family  —  the 
Climbing  French  Bean.  Doubtless  it  is  an  acquisition,  and  is  noAv  so 
AA-el!  known  that  little  comment  is  necessary.  Here  aa'c  have  a  com¬ 
bination  of  the  climbing  habit  of  the  Runner  and  the  refined  tender 
pod  of  the  DAvarf  Bean.  Taa’o  A'arieties  are  recognised —viz.,  Sutton’s 
!  Tender  and  True  and  Veitch’s  Climbing  French  Beau.  Both  ai'e  robust 
.  in  habit  and  constitution,  producing  heavy  crops  over  a  long  period. 
Many  growers  of  Climbing  French  Beans  AA’ere  disappointed  at  the 
outset,  oAAung  to  the  fact  that  they  sowed  and  greAv  the  jilants  too 
thickly.  Being  robust  in  habit,  if  this  mistake  is  made  a  thicket  of 
j  growth  is  the  result,  Avhich  prohibits  the  admission  of  sunlight  in 
i  order  to  set  the  blossoms.  Given  a  fairly  dera  fertile  soil  and  the 
'  plants  thinly  disposed,  the  culture  of  Climbing  French  Beans  is  other- 
:  wise  simple,  and  the  results  generally  satisfactory. 
'  There  is  little  that  is  really  ncAv  to  tell  in  dealing  Avith  a  subject 
like  this  ;  it  is  the  old  and  useful  story — close  attention  to  apparently 
•iuiall  matters  of  detail,  coupled  Avith  a  careful  selection  of  the  best 
!  varieties,  and  Avith  conditions  of  soil  and  season  favourable,  success 
will  invariably  folloAv.— Grower  and  Judge. 
THE  ART  OF  TABLE  DECORATION. 
The  importance  of  table  decoration  at  the  present  time  cannot  be 
over-estimated,  and  gardeners  who  are  unable  to  make  effective  combi¬ 
nations  either  in  fruit,  flowers,  or  foliage,  or  all  combined,  are  not  able  to 
obtain  first-class  appointments,  however  skilful  they  may  be  in  other 
branches  of  their  profession ;  while  men  Avho  are  only  of  average  abilities 
as  gardeners,  but  accomplished  in  the  art  of  table  decoration,  command 
Photo  hy  JI  Stokes  Birmingham. 
Fig.  92. — Dutch  Garden,  Baskerahlle  House. 
