3580. G a lh c n n g . F or table use. gather only such as are tender, tlic seeds decreasing in dclicacv after
they attain about half the size which they should posse.ss at maturity. IVheii they become black-eved
they arc tough, and strong-tasted, and much inferior for eating. ’
3581. To sa v e seed. “ Either plant someof the approved sorts, in Fehniary or March, wholly for that
I-.41 ,. x.«rt r leave 1..... rtsome «.«« rt rows rt «of e*the u«.Kdifferent «>. A crops u ngathered,iii preference to the gleanings of gathered
crops. The pods will rip— r i^ 'u in August,*------ ‘ '-------
boroming brown and dry, and the beans dry and hard : then pull- ■
ing up tho stalks, place e them th mri’ lt................................................. l«ie suii, to harden tho seed tl iorou ghly, aAflt.e..1r whie. h. thre- s h. . out each '*' = ■sort
> >^«1. ■^a»,u »»i i,
separately.” {Abcrcroinbie.) T h e seed will keep its vitality ra the r longer than th a t of the pea : some
sorts will keep as long as four or five years.
3582. To fo r c e the bean, see § 3350.
SuBSKCT. .3. Kidneybean.— Vha.úolus L .; Diadél Lecdn. L. and Leguminosa; J.
Haricot, F r.; Schminkbohne, Ger.; Turksche Boon, Dutch; Fagiuolo, Ital.; and
Ahmias and Fásoles- Span.
,3583. The common chxm-f kidneybean, erroneously termed French bean, is tlio F. vulgaris
L. (Lob. Ic. 2. p. 59.) It is a tender annual, a native of India-, and w.as introduced
in 1597, or earlier. Flowers from Juno to Scptombor. The species called tho
runner is the F. mnltifldrns, Willil. (Sch/i. Han. 2. 7. 199. a.), a half-hardy .annual, .and
a native of South America, introduced in 1533. It is rather more tender than the other ;
and produces flowers from July to September. The frait of both sorts m.ay be bad iu
perfection from tho open g-ardcn, by successive crops, from June to October. It is an
article of field oulturo in most warm countries, especially France and some parts of
America ; and where the winters arc not sufficiently severe to kill tho roots of the scarlet
runner, the plants will spring up again tho second, and even tho third year. Indeed tlte
roots, if taken up and preserved like daWias, may bo phanted in April, when they will
produce a second crop.
358.4. Use. The unripe pods arc chiefly used in Britain as a legume, for which they are in great estimation
throughout the year ; being pi-oduccd by forcing when they cannot be grown in the natural ground.
1 hey are also used as a pickle. On th e continent, th e young beans, while still green, and not quite full
grown, are very much esteemed when prepared like green peas. The ripe seeds are also much used in
raqkery: forming what arc called haricots, of different kinds, and entering into some sorts of soups.
In th e end of the season,_when frost is expected, the haulm of the kidneybean crop is gathered and dried
like that of the pea in this country, and the ripe beans afterwards threshed out, and preserved for uso
througli the winter. ‘
_ 3585. The varie tie s of th e kidneybean cultivated in France and ASpain, and in similar climates, arc
innumerable, and are continually fluctuating. In Britain they are comparatively few. The varieties of
the dwarf species ( I-Iancot nain, or sans ramcs, F r . ; Gemeine bolmc, or Zwerg bohne, G e r .) a rc :
Early purpU-specklcd.
Early black, or nearo.
White Dutch.
Cnnlcrbwy white.
Black-speckled.
licd'-speckled.
358C. Varie tie s o f the m n n e r o r c limbing species (Haricot 5 rames, F r . ; Stangen bohne, G n \ ) : —
Scarlet runner; themost plentiful and
lasting bearer, preferable for the main
crop of runner, or twining kidney-
bcuns.
Large white runner; .a variety of the
scarlet The seed and blossom white,
but the pods similar to tiie scarlet
kind.
th pods, bi
long in flower as tlie two former.
Lnuxannc, or new variegated.
i / t S l r ’" ¡ I t s . Both tho above cI.a.tsos of kMneyboims, ihv.arfs, and runners, are tender
in tlieir nature, unable to grmv freely m th e open garden before April or May, the seed being liable to
ro t in the ground from the effects of wet, tf planted before the beginning o fth e former montlpeven in a
dry soil 1 he plants are also .affected by sharp cold, and make hot littlo progress till settled warm wea-
i i f k e J i t e ''t a 't 'a ” re “ P 'T ' ' f i™ April or May through tho course of summer, till
the beginnmg of August, they succeed well, making hheral returns of fruit from ,Iuno or July till
October Hie dw.arfs require no su p p o rt; but the runners, ascending 8 ft. or 10 tt. high or more, require
tiiU sticks or poles to chmb upon, or hnes suspended from a contiguous building Sr fence. They
produce pods th eir whole length. (A be rc rombie .)
« /s om The dwarfs bear sowing a little sooner, and make re turns quicker than the
mnncrs. 1 hey are, besides more convenient to cultivate on a large scale; and th e smaller pods which
they produce, are esteemed by m ^ y to have more delicacy of flavour. On these accounts, it is usual to
raise the l a r p r supply from the dwarf species. The early yellow, early black, and early red-speckled
¿ 0 among t ^ most h ^ d y and most forward ; tho early whit? come’s in aLew da?s l a t o r S is of Fupcri^
flavour. T h e ¿Tntcrbury and black-speckled are plentiful and lasting bearers. Growers for sale iu
general, depend on the Canterbury, and black and red speckled, for main crops; but th e others j’ust
¿m e d are also profitable sorts, ami a^.eptable to th e consumer. Tho dwarf kidneybean continues to
produce young pods in ¿ u n d a n c e and m perfection only about th ree weeks or a month. T h e runners
¿ c e s s io n of frmt from the same sowing a much longer time than tlie dwarfs. The scarlet runner
nmks first for its prffirfic property and long continuance in f r u it ; the pods are thick, fleshy, tender, and
¿ q d and may be eaten green of a much larger size than those of any of the dwarf species. Tho white
Iic /L ^ ¿« d ly eligible for a principal crop. 3 he Dutch runne r grows as luxuriantly as hops, and is
also a great bearCT. m fine long pods, but not so lasting as tho former. As to th e smaller runne r kinds,
these ai c ra the r dogenerate varieties of the Canterbury and w hite Dutch, casually shooting Into ru n n e rs!
rifo fi! ’ f a ^ n d a n c e , slender neat pods, which are very good and tender eating ; though not
¿ r u n n e r s as the scarlets. The Lausanne is equal in value to the scarlet
1)44,11' rt a m m ^ L T - ' i '‘»riegated, or red and w hite blossoms. This and tho scarlet
fol« j decidedly the best kidneybeans for small gardens, and for being grown by cottagers,
to 3 S ' ^ ® placed from 2 | in.
sYowS i4ngYs, Yand to a moist loam for the sowings in summer. mellow, incliningo to a dryj sand for the eav rlyy
About the beginning of April, if the weather be temperate, fair, and
settled, make the first sowing in a dry south border, or other sheltered compartment with a good
4 ® 1 beginning with a small proportion o fth e most
/ L f ^ »oits. It is a gw d m ^ h o d to follow in a week with a second sowing, in case th e former
the middle or 20th of April. F o r th e earlycrops,
¥ in. for th e smaller-sized beans,
of W i l Lffofo The rimner kidneybeans may be sown in a small portion, towards the end
of Aprii, if tolerably warm dry w e ath er; but as these beans arc ra th e r more tender th an th e dwarf sorts,
a secondary crop. 3 he hr.«t crops should have the assistance of a south wall Intermcrtifo-« «mn« m-.,v
1X3 sown in any open compartment, or against iiny fence not looking north. The latest sown will eon
tmue bearing the longer under a good aspect .and shelter. In sowing, draw drills ahout ] ‘ in or not
J’o'iS poles for SLihViiaS;the plants to climb e i i .K upon.
S ! ‘ re*® re reo fireirefi r e " ” i
3593. ................ r a h n g t h e c rop. Gath Gatlicr the .pods, both from drawfs ........... .......... and runners ............
while tlicv are vo.ine fleshe
br tie an, ten d e r; AOT.for then w..en are they in highest perfection pcrfeoMon for the Libl'e table ?r ’a an l d r ‘the
L rd L r .
glow /id ® gathering, not leaving any superabundant pc«ot
3.594. To save seed. Rilher sow a portion for th.at object, or leave rows wholly nngatliercd of tbe m,ain
crops, or Pfo^ofve^a^snfflciehey ofygood^ promiscuonsly. The beans saved"sho,dd i i r s T - S s
of 1 ^ sufficiency of good pods promiscuously.saved sliould be t
tfo/m ¿P n l r fo rtR fe ow s the entire course of growth into the finest part of
them hang on toe stalks till they ripen fully in Augmst and September ; then lot the luu
up, and placed in the sun, to drv and harden th e seed, wlu'eli u« ..ft«rt.....-Art ,.i___
summer. Let ... AA...A« OTA. AAAOT OT OCA A.VO AAA. LllUV 1.If It II IIIMV Ml rtlll'II'Cr tniM V.ATVrt «rv. Iv«- . rt U«.. I „A Al. . T
up, and pi
husks, ■
3505.
siaiKs u a cney luuy luiulra be pulled
ami h o u sS ™ th e seed, which should bo afterwards cleared out of the
Hilnoyboan is often partially forced in hothonses or frames,
a view to Its fmiting in the open garden ; and supplies of green pods are also
¿ f t 4 throughout the wmter and spring months, by forcing in hotliouses and
pits ; for the details of both practices, see the preceding chapter, 5
3596. iTisctts. Pulse of all kinds, but particularly tho pea, tiie bean and the kid-
nevboan, are exposed to the attacks of many tribes of insects, among which the
aphides, or plant lice, are the most pernicious. Snails and slugs wliich frequently
devour the plants on their first appearance above th e ground may be enticed
awcay or destroyed by the metliods before recommended. The aphis peculiar
to the pea IS called by some the green-fly ; while th a t fippropriated to th e bean is
Ifl^ k , and IS named by many the collier ( f i g . 1 1 %. h, natural size ; a, magnified).
1 he earlier the seeds are sown, toe better chance the plants have of escanine The
best remedy, particularly with beans, is to top the plant when toe insects beein to
appear, am! to carry away the tops to bury or burn them. In a matured state, a
/n a i l beetle (/irùchus p i / L ) (d ) deposits its eggs within to e pea, which serves as
food for the grub and IS thus destroyed; th e peculiar form of the antennae or
horns, when magnified (c) will sufficiently distinguish this insect, which however
IS not extensively injurious among us. ’
Sect. III. Esculent IlooU.
3597. Tiie esculent-rooted culinary plants delight in a light, rather sandy, deep, and
well-stin-ed soil. It must be dry at bottom ; bnt a moist atmosphere and moderate tem-
peratm-o are greatly favourable to the giwth of almost the whole of the plants we havo
included in this section. Hence the excellonoo of the potato crop in Ireland and the
size to which turnips, caiTots, parsneps, &c., attain in Britain and Ilolland, compared to
ivhat they do m France and Germany. The space occupied in the Jdtchcn-garden by
this class of vegetables is considerable ; but as it is regulated in some degree by the
quantity of the more common roots groavn in the fiirm for culinaiy use, it is less snbicot
to estunation. In most gardens, however, the esculent roots taken togetlier may occupy
as much space as the legumes. In cottage gardens, tliey may be considered as occupying
one half of the whole, to be iu part succeeded by ivinter greens.
StiBSECT. 1. Potato. — Solànum tuberosum L. (Bauh. Prod. 89. t. 89.); Pent. Dig. L.
and Solàneoì B. P. Femme de Terre, Fr. ; Kartoffel, Ger. ; Aardappel, Dutch ; Tartufi
biancld, or Forno di Terra, Ital, ; Batatas Inglezas, Span. ; aud Batata da terra.
Port. Sec Encyc. o f Agr. § 5921.
3598. The potato is a perennial plant, well known for the tubers produced by its roots.
It is found wild in South America, both in Buenos Ayi-cs and in Chili ; but Humboldt
IS doubtful if it be really indigenous there. Some tubers, said to be of the avild potato,
Inavc been receia'od by the Horticultural Society, and grown by them ; they differ so
little from those of the cultivated potato, that Sahine conjectures, “ that tlic original
cultivators of this vegetable did not exercise either much art ór patience in the production
of their garden potatoes.” (Hort. Trans., vol. v. p. 257.) Sir Joseph Banks (Hort. Trans.,
vol. 1. p. 8.) considers that tho potato avas first brought into Europe from tho mountainous
parts of South America, in the ncighhom-hood of Quito, where they were called
papas, to Spain, in the early part of the sixteenth ccntnry. From Spain, avhcre they
avere callod batatas, they appear to haa-e found thcir avay first to Italy, -where tlioy received
the same name with the truffle, tartufi. The potato avas rcceia-od by Clusius, at
Vienna, in 1698, from the governor of Mons, in Hainault, avho had procui-cd it the ycar
before from ono of the attendants of the Pope’s legate, under the name of iurtufo, and
learned from him, that it was then in use in Italy. In Germany it reccia-ed the name
of kartoffel, and spread rapidly even in Clusins’s time. To England the potato found its
way by a different route, being brought from Virginia by the colonists sent out by Sfr
Walter Ealcigh in 1684, and avho rctnrncd in July 1686, and “ probably,” according to
Sir Joseph Banks, “ brought avith them the potato.” Thomas Heriot, in a report on
the country, published in De Bry’s Collection ofVoyeeges (vol. i. p. 17.), describes a plant
called openawk, avith “ roots as largo as a walnut, and others much larger ; they groav in
damp soil, many hanging together, as if fixed on ropes ; they are good food, either boiled
3 n 2