Page:The family kitchen gardener - containing plain and accurate descriptions of all the different species and varieties of culinary vegetables (IA familykitchengar56buis).pdf/30

 though a stronger grower. Color dark-brown, speckled. Sown 13th May, fit for use June 25th.

Black Valentine is a most excellent variety, a great bearer, and of delicate flavor. Ripens a few days later than the former.

Royal White-Kidney.—The best late variety; has long pods, richly flavored, and for family use is indispensable, not only in its green state, but for Winter use. As a vegetable it is preferable to any other. Sown 13th May, fit for the table July 1st.

The above sorts may be sown at any time from the 10th of April to the 25th of August. The first sowing in Spring is frequently cut off with frost, though we have seen the Valentine sorts all killed, while the Mohawk stood uninjured. It should therefore always be adopted for the earliest sowing. A few rows of each sort sown every two weeks will keep a succession for the table from the first of June till the middle of October. As this crop does not long occupy the ground, it can frequently be sown between rows of Corn, ridges of Celery, or Drumhead Cabbage when they are first planted.

—Any good, light, rich soil will grow this Bean in perfection. Draw drills with the hoe two and a half inches deep, and from one foot to eighteen inches from row to row; drop the beans regularly therein, about two inches apart; cover up carefully and expeditiously; give frequent and deep hoeings to keep open the soil. As soon as the crop is three inches high, draw the earth to their stems. When they begin to show their flower bud, draw a few inches more, which is termed by gardeners, earthing up.

—Where seed is wished to be saved, the sorts must be grown apart, as far as practicable, for they are very susceptible of mixture, if even within fifty yards of each other.