The Field and Garden Vegetables of America Part 83

A half-dwarf, French variety. Plant strong and vigorous, with remarkably large, deep-green foliage; flowers bright lilac; the pods are straight, seven inches long, half an inch wide, streaked and spotted with purple when sufficiently grown for sh.e.l.ling in their green state, nankeen-yellow when fully ripe, and contain six seeds, which are nearly straight, rounded at the ends, a little flattened on the sides, three-fourths of an inch long, a fourth of an inch thick, and of a violet-black color, variegated or marbled with drab.

About sixteen hundred beans are contained in a quart; and, as the plants are vigorous growers, this amount of seed will be sufficient for three hundred feet of drill, or for nearly three hundred hills. If planted in drills, they should be made twenty inches apart, and two plants allowed to a linear foot.

The variety is not early, and requires the entire season for its full perfection. When sown as soon as the weather is suitable, the plant will blossom in about seven weeks. In sixty days, pods may be plucked for use; and the crop will be ready for harvesting in fifteen weeks from the time of planting. For its green pods, the seeds may be planted until the middle of July.

The Bagnolet is of little value as a sh.e.l.led-bean, either green or ripe.

As a string-bean, it is deservedly considered one of the best. The pods are produced in great abundance; and are not only tender, succulent, and well flavored, but remain long on the plants before they become tough, and unfit for use. If the pods are plucked as they attain a suitable size, new pods will rapidly succeed, and the plants will afford a continued supply for several weeks.

BLACK-EYED CHINA.

Plant fifteen inches high, less strong and vigorous than that of the Common Red-eyed China; the flowers are white; the pods are comparatively short, usually about five inches long, green and straight while young, straw-yellow when sufficiently advanced for sh.e.l.ling, yellow, thick, hard, and parchment-like when ripe, and contain five or six seeds,--these are white, spotted and marked about the eye with black, of an oblong form, usually rounded, but sometimes shortened at the ends, slightly compressed on the sides, and measure half an inch in length, and three-eighths of an inch in thickness.

A quart contains fifteen hundred beans, and will plant a drill, or row, of two hundred feet, or a hundred and fifty hills.

The variety is early. When sown at the commencement of the season, the plants will blossom in six weeks, produce pods for the table in seven weeks, pods for sh.e.l.ling in ten weeks, and ripen in eighty-seven days.

It yields well, ripens off at once, and, on account of the thick, parchment-like character of the pods, suffers much less from wet and unfavorable seasons than many other sorts.

As a string-bean, it is of fair quality, good when sh.e.l.led in the green state, and farinaceous and mild flavored when ripe.

BLUE POD.

A half-dwarf variety, growing from two to three feet high, with a branching stem, deep-green foliage, and white flowers. The pods are five inches long, pale-green while young, light-yellow as the season of maturity approaches, cream-white when fully ripe, and contain five or six seeds.

Its season is intermediate. If sown early, the plants will blossom in seven weeks, afford pods for stringing in eight weeks, green beans in ten or eleven weeks, and ripen their seeds in ninety-seven days. It is a week earlier than the White Marrow, and ten days in advance of the Pea-bean. Plantings may be made as late as the last week in June, which will yield pods for the table in seven weeks, and ripen the middle of September, or in about twelve weeks.

The ripe seed is white, oblong, flattened, rounded on the back, often squarely or angularly shortened at the ends, half an inch long, and a fourth of an inch thick: twenty-seven hundred will measure a quart.

It is a field rather than a garden variety; though the green pods are tender and well flavored. If planted in drills two feet apart, five pecks of seed will be required for an acre; or four pecks for the same quant.i.ty of ground, if the rows are two feet and a half apart. If planted in hills, six or eight seeds should be put in each; and, if the hills are three feet apart, twelve quarts of seed will plant an acre.

The Blue Pod is the earliest of the field varieties; more prolific, more generally cultivated, and more abundant in the market, than either the Pea-bean or the White Marrow. It is, however, much less esteemed; and, even in its greatest perfection, is almost invariably sold at a lower price.

On account of its precocity, it is well suited for planting in fields of corn, when the crop may have been partially destroyed by birds or insects, and the season has too far advanced to admit of a replanting of corn. In field-culture, Blue-pod beans are planted till the 25th of June.

CANADA YELLOW.

Round American Kidney. _Law._

The plants of this variety are from fourteen to sixteen inches high, and of medium strength and vigor; flowers lilac-purple; the pods are five inches long, nearly straight, green while young, yellow at maturity, and contain from four to six seeds.

Season intermediate. If sown early, the plants will blossom in six or seven weeks, supply the table with pods in eight weeks, green sh.e.l.led-beans in ten weeks, and ripen off in ninety days. When planted after settled warm weather, the variety grows rapidly, and ripens quickly; blossoming in less than six weeks, and ripening in seventy days, from the time of planting. For green sh.e.l.led-beans, the seeds may be planted till the middle of July.

The ripe seeds are of an ovoid or rounded form, and measure half an inch in length and three-eighths of an inch in thickness. They are of a yellowish-drab color, with a narrow, reddish-brown line about the eye; the drab changing, by age, to dull nankeen-yellow. About seventeen hundred are contained in a quart; and this amount of seeds will plant two hundred and fifty feet of drill, or a hundred and seventy-five hills.

The variety is quite productive, and excellent as a sh.e.l.led bean, green or dry. The young pods are not so tender as those of many other sorts, and are but little used.

CHILIAN.

Plant sixteen or eighteen inches high, st.u.r.dy and vigorous; foliage large, deep-green, wrinkled; flowers pale-lilac; the pods are five inches and a half long, slightly curved, pale-green while young, yellowish-white when ripe, and contain five seeds.

If planted early in the season, the variety will blossom in seven weeks, yield pods for the table in about eight weeks, and ripen in a hundred days, from the time of planting.

The ripe seeds are of a clear, bright pink, or rose color; gradually becoming duller and darker from the time of harvesting. They are kidney-shaped, a little flattened, and of large size; generally measuring three-fourths of an inch long, and three-eighths of an inch thick. Twelve hundred and fifty are contained in a quart, and will be sufficient for planting a row or drill of two hundred feet, or for a hundred and twenty-five hills.

The variety is healthy, and moderatively productive; not much esteemed for its young pods, but is worthy of cultivation for the large size and good quality of the beans; which, either in the green or ripe state, are quite farinaceous and mild flavored.

CRESCENT-EYED.

Height fourteen or fifteen inches; flowers white,--the upper petals slightly stained with red; the pods are five inches and a half long, pale-green and somewhat curved when young, yellowish-white when fully ripe, and contain five seeds.

Season intermediate. If planted early, the variety will blossom in seven weeks, yield pods for stringing in eight weeks, supply the table with green beans in eleven weeks, and ripen in about ninety days. When planted and grown under the influence of summer weather, pods may be plucked for the table in fifty days, and the crop will ripen in about twelve weeks.

The beans, when ripe, are white, with a large, rose-red patch about the eye; the colored portion of the surface being striped and marked with brownish-red. The fine rose-red changes by age to a brownish-red, and the red streaks and markings become relatively duller and darker: they are somewhat kidney-shaped, and measure three-fourths of an inch in length and three-eighths of an inch in thickness. A quart contains nearly thirteen hundred seeds, and will plant a hundred and fifty hills, or a row of two hundred feet.

The variety yields well, and the green pods are tender and well flavored. It is, however, generally cultivated for its seeds, which are of large size and excellent quality, whether used in a green or ripe state.

DUN-COLORED.

Plant of vigorous, branching habit, sixteen inches in height, with broad, deep-green foliage and purplish-white flowers; the pods are five inches and a half long, half an inch broad, green and nearly straight while young, yellow and slender when fully ripe, and contain five or six beans.

The ripe seeds are dun-colored or dark-drab, usually with a greenish line encircling the eye, kidney-shaped, five-eighths of an inch long, and about a fourth of an inch thick. A quart contains about seventeen hundred beans, and will plant a row of two hundred and twenty-five feet, or a hundred and seventy-five hills.

It is one of the earliest of the dwarf varieties; blossoming in about six weeks, producing young pods in seven weeks, and ripening in eighty-five days, from the time of planting. When sown after settled warm weather, pods may be gathered for use in six weeks; and, for these, plantings may be made until the 1st of August.

As a sh.e.l.led-bean, green or dry, it is of little value, and hardly worthy of cultivation. As an early string-bean, it is one of the best.

The pods are not only succulent and tender, but suitable for use very early in the season. It is also quite prolific; and, if planted at intervals of two weeks till the last of July, will supply the table to the last of September.

The variety has long been cultivated in England and other parts of Europe, and is much esteemed for its hardiness and productiveness.

DWARF CRANBERRY.

Plant vigorous; and, if the variety is pure, strictly a Dwarf, growing about sixteen inches high. As generally found in gardens, the plants send out slender runners, eighteen inches or two feet in length. The flowers are pale-purple; the pods are five inches long, sickle-shaped, pale-green in their young state, nearly white when ripe, and contain five or six seeds.

The ripe seeds are smaller than those of the running variety, but of the same form and color: sixteen hundred are contained in a quart, and will plant nearly two hundred feet of drill, or a hundred and seventy-five hills.

The genuine Dwarf Cranberry is not one of the earliest varieties, but rather an intermediate sort. If sown as soon as the weather will admit, the plants will blossom in seven or eight weeks, and the young pods may be gathered for use in nine weeks. In favorable seasons, the crop is perfected in about ninety days. If planted in June, the variety will ripen in ten weeks.

It is hardy and productive; and the young pods are not only succulent and tender, but are suitable for use at a more advanced stage of growth than those of most varieties. The beans, in their green state, are farinaceous and well flavored, but, after ripening, are little used; the color being objectionable.

A variety with a brownish-red, oval, flattened seed, half an inch in length, is extensively known and cultivated as the Dwarf Cranberry. It is ten or twelve days earlier, the plants are smaller and less productive, the young pods less tender and succulent, and the seeds (green or ripe) less farinaceous, than those of the true variety. With the exception of its earlier maturity, it is comparatively not worthy of cultivation.