The variety requires a full season for its perfection. Plants from seeds sown early in spring will blossom in seven weeks, yield young pods in ten weeks, and ripen in a hundred and twelve days.

The ripe seeds are very small, and of a peculiar yellowish-white, semi-transparent, rice-like color and appearance. They are quite irregular in form, usually somewhat oblong or ovoid, often abruptly shortened at the ends, three-eighths of an inch long, and a fourth of an inch thick. Nearly five thousand are contained in a quart.

The young pods are tender and excellent; but the green beans are small, and rarely used. The ripe seeds are peculiar, both in consistency and flavor: they are quite brittle and rice-like; and, when cooked, much relished by some, and little esteemed by others.

ROB-ROY.

Plant half-dwarf,--early in the season, producing slender, transient, barren runners two or three feet in length; flowers purplish-white; the pods are five inches long, often produced in pairs, yellow as they approach maturity, yellowish-white when ripe, and contain five or six seeds.

It is one of the earliest of the Dwarfs. Spring plantings will blossom in six weeks, produce pods for the table in seven weeks, and ripen in eighty-two days. If planted in June, pods may be plucked for use in six weeks, and the crop will be ready for harvesting in sixty-eight days.

The ripe seeds are clear, bright-yellow; the surface being generally veined, and the eye surrounded with an olive-green line. They are of an oblong form, nearly straight on the side of the eye, rounded at the back, five-eighths of an inch long, and three-tenths of an inch deep.

Fifteen hundred seeds are contained in a quart, and will be sufficient to plant a row of two hundred feet, or a hundred and fifty hills.

The Rob-Roy generally matures in great perfection; being seldom stained or otherwise injured by rain or the dampness of ordinary seasons. It is also one of the earliest of the Dwarf varieties, but desirable as a string-bean rather than for its qualities as a green sh.e.l.led-bean, or for cooking when ripe. If cultivated for its pods only, plantings may be made until the first of August.

ROUND YELLOW SIX-WEEKS.

Round Yellow. Dwarf Yellow.

Fourteen to sixteen inches high; flowers pale-purple; pods about five inches long, half an inch broad, pale yellowish-green as they approach maturity, and, when fully ripe, remarkably slender, and more curved than in their green state,--they contain five or six beans.

The variety is early; blossoming in six weeks, producing young pods in seven weeks, and ripening in ninety days, from the time of planting.

When planted in June, pods may be plucked for use in seven weeks, and the crop will be ready for harvesting in eighty days. For its green pods, plantings may be made to the last of July.

The ripe seeds are orange-yellow, with a narrow, reddish-brown belt, or line, encircling the eye; oblong or ovoid, half an inch long, and three-tenths of an inch thick. A quart contains two thousand seeds, and will plant a row two hundred and twenty-five feet in length, or two hundred and twenty-five hills.

As an early string-bean, the variety is worthy of cultivation, but is little used, and is really of little value, as a sh.e.l.led-bean, green or ripe. It has been common to the gardens of this country for more than a century; and, during this period, no apparent change has taken place in the character of the plant, or in the size, form, or color of the seed.

SOLITAIRE.

A French variety. The ripe seeds are similar to those of the Refugee; but the plants are quite distinct in foliage and general habit. Its height is about eighteen inches; the flowers are purple; the pods are six inches long, slender, nearly cylindrical, green at first, paler and streaked with purple when more advanced, and contain six seeds.

It is not early. Spring plantings will blossom in sixty days, produce pods for the table in seventy days, and ripen in about fifteen weeks. It may be planted for its green pods until the first of July.

The beans, when ripe, are variegated with light-drab and deep-purple, the purple prevailing. They are often straight, sometimes curved, nearly cylindrical at the eye, usually rounded, but sometimes shortened, at the ends, three-fourths of an inch long, and a fourth of an inch thick: two thousand measure a quart.

On account of the size and branching character of the plants, more s.p.a.ce must be allowed in cultivation than is usually given to Common Dwarf varieties. If planted in rows, they should be at least eighteen inches apart, and the plants eight or ten inches from each other in the rows; and, if planted in hills, they should be thinned to four or five plants, and the hills should not be less than three feet apart.

It is not much esteemed as a sh.e.l.led-bean, either green or ripe. As a string-bean, it is one of the best. Its pods are long, cylindrical, remarkably slender, succulent, and tender. It is also a very prolific variety, and the pods remain for an unusual period without becoming tough or too hard for the table. Recommended for cultivation.

SWISS CRIMSON.

Scarlet Swiss. _Vil._

Plant vigorous, often producing running shoots; flowers pale-purple; pods nearly straight, six inches long, pale-green while young, yellow streaked with brilliant rose-red as they approach maturity, and containing five (rarely six) seeds.

It is comparatively a late variety. If planted as early as the weather will permit, the plants will blossom in seven weeks, the young pods will be ready for use in nine weeks, and the crop will be ready for harvesting in a hundred and five days. Planted and grown in summer weather, it will produce young pods in sixty days, and ripen in thirteen weeks. Plantings for the green seeds may be made to the first of July.

The ripe seeds are clear bright-pink, striped and spotted with deep purplish-red: the pink changes gradually to dull, dark-red, and the variegations to dark-brown. They are kidney-shaped, comparatively straight, somewhat flattened, three-fourths of an inch long, and three-eighths of an inch broad. Thirteen hundred seeds are contained in a quart, and will plant a row two hundred feet in length, or a hundred and fifty hills.

It is hardy and productive, and, as a sh.e.l.led-bean, of excellent quality, either in its green or ripened state. As a variety for stringing, it is not above medium quality.

TURTLE-SOUP.

Tampico.

Plant vigorous, producing numerous slender, barren runners two feet or more in length; flowers rich deep-purple; pods five inches long, green and sickle-shaped while young, pale greenish-white stained with purple when more advanced, yellow clouded with purple when ripe, and containing five or six seeds.

The variety is quite late, and requires most of the season for its full perfection. Plants from early sowings will blossom in eight weeks, the young pods will be sufficiently grown for use in ten weeks, and the crop will ripen in a hundred and eight days. As the young pods are tender and of excellent quality, and are also produced in great abundance, a planting for these may be made as late as the last week in June, which will supply the table from the last of August till the plants are destroyed by frost.

The ripe seeds are small, glossy-black, somewhat oblong, and much flattened: thirty-six hundred are contained in a quart, and will plant four hundred feet of drill, or three hundred and fifty hills.

It is very productive, and deserving of cultivation for its young and tender pods; but is of little or no value for sh.e.l.ling while green. The ripened seeds are used, as the name implies, in the preparation of a soup, which, as respects color and flavor, bears some resemblance to that made from the green turtle.

VICTORIA.

This is one of the earliest of the Dwarf varieties. Early plantings will blossom in six weeks, yield pods for the table in seven weeks, produce pods of suitable size for sh.e.l.ling in about ten weeks, and ripen in eighty-four days. When planted after the season has somewhat advanced,--the young plants thus receiving the benefit of summer temperature,--pods may be gathered for the table in about six weeks, and the crop will ripen in sixty-three days.

Stalk fourteen to sixteen inches high, with comparatively few branches; flowers purple; pods four and a half to five inches long, streaked and spotted with purple, tough and parchment-like when ripe, and containing five or six seeds.

The ripe seeds are flesh-colored, striped and spotted with purple (the ground changing by age to dull reddish-brown, and the spots and markings to chocolate-brown), oblong, somewhat flattened, shortened or rounded at the ends, five-eighths of an inch long, and three-tenths of an inch thick: fourteen hundred are contained in a quart.

The variety is remarkably early; and, on this account, is worthy of cultivation. For table use, the young pods and the seeds, green or dry, are inferior to many other sorts.

WHITE'S EARLY.

A remarkably hardy and vigorous variety, eighteen to twenty inches high.

Flowers white, tinged with purple; pods five inches and a half long, curved or sickle-shaped, green at first, yellowish-white striped with purple when fully ripe, and containing five seeds.

Early plantings will blossom in about six weeks, young pods may be plucked for use in seven weeks, and the crop will ripen in eighty-two days. If planted as late in the season as the first week in July, the variety will generally ripen perfectly; and, when cultivated for its green pods, plantings may be made at any time during the month.

The ripe seeds are either drab or light-slate,--both colors being common,--marked and spotted with light-drab. In some specimens, drab is the prevailing color. They are kidney-shaped, irregularly compressed or flattened, nearly three-fourths of an inch long, and three-eighths of an inch deep. A quart contains about sixteen hundred seeds, and is sufficient for planting a row two hundred and fifty feet in length, or two hundred hills.

This variety, as an early string-bean, is decidedly one of the best, and is also one of the hardiest and most prolific. The pods should be plucked when comparatively young; and, if often gathered, the plants will continue a long time in bearing. As a sh.e.l.led-bean, either in its green or ripened state, it is only of medium quality.

The long peduncles, or stems, that support its spikes of flowers, its stocky habit, and fine, deep-green, luxurious foliage, distinguish the variety from all others.

WHITE FLAGEOLET.