BEAN, a plant of the family Fabacece, or legumes. Originally the smooth kidney-shaped, flat-sided seed of the broad bean, Vicia faba, it is now applied to various genera, usually with a specific epithet, as Lima bean, etc.
The broad bean (Vicia faba) is the bean of history. Its origin is doubtful, but it is prob ably a native of southwestern Asia and north ern Africa. It is much grown in Europe, es pecially in England, but the hot dry summers i prevent its cultivation in most parts of the United States. It is grown successfully in the maritime provinces of Canada,. and in other parts, with corn and sunflowers, to make ensi lage. It is an annual plant, growing from two to four feet high, erect, with thick angular stems; flowers usually white with black on the wings. The pods, which contain the thick flat tened seeds, vary from two to four inches up to 18 inches long. The common varieties are the Broad Windsor and Mazayan; they are quite hardy and should be sown early. The soils best suited are heavy loams and clays. The green seeds are eaten as a vegetable, or, if allowed to mature, are ground and used as feed for horses and cattle. The straw is fed to cattle.
The kidney-bean of Europe is lcnown in the United States as the bean, Phase°lus vulgaris; it embraces all the common field, garden, snap and string beans, both bush and climbing. The French know it as the haricot. It is probably a native of South America, and was introduced into Europe during the 16th century. Over 150 varieties are in cultivation; the growers usually group them into bush- and pole-beans. The bush-beans embrace the afield beans,' grown for dry shelled seeds, also the green-podded and yellow-podded garden, string or snap beans. The pole-beans are usually grown for use while green. Bush-beans do well on a good warm loam. The yellow-podded varieties and pole-beans require a richer soil. They should not be planted until danger from frost is over, and require constant cultivation while growing. Leading field varieties are white marrowfat, navy or pea bean, medium and the kidneys: in-string-beans, early Valentine, string less green-pod, refugee, etc.: in yellow-podded beans, black wax, golden wax, kidney and white. Consult Bulletins 87 and 115, Cornell Experiment Station. For forcing pole-beans under glass, see Bailey's 'Forcing Book' ; Bulle tin 62, New Hampshire Experiment Station.
The Lima bean (P. lunatus) is the most popular pole-bean. It is of South American origin, but is now grown in various parts of this country, most of the seed being raised in California. The short, flat, slightly kidney shaped seeds are enveloped in flat, broad pods. The soy-bean cq.v.) (Glycine hispida) is a bushy, erect, hairy plant which bears pea-like seeds in small pods. It is a native of China and Japan, where it is largely grown. It is used for forage and soiling. The cowpca (q.v.) (Vigna catjang) is generally used for forage, soiling, hay and green manuring. The scarlet runner (P. multiflorus) is a perennial. It is grown largely for ornament, but in England the seeds and pods are eaten as a vegetable. The Adzuki bean (P. radiatusj is a native of Japan, and a recent introduction in America. Consult Bulle tin 32, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. The frijole (P. spp) is grown in the Southwest ern States and in Mexico, where it is a staple f ood.
Other important Oriental beans, but not very common here, are: Mungo-beans (P. mungo); various species of Dolichos, as the asparagus-bean (D. sesquipedatis); and the lo cust or carob bean (Ceratonia siliqua), the pods of which are sold by confectioners as Saint John's bread. The sweet pulp which sur rounds the seed is eaten, especially in the Medi terranean. The pods and seeds are ground and used extensively as feed for cattle and other animals. The velvet-bean (species of Mucuna) is often grown for an ornament; also for for age and' soil renovation in the southern States. It ripens seed only in the Gulf States. The beans and pods, when ground, are fed to cattle. The cooked green beans have caused illness in those who have eaten them. In 1899, 15,004 acres of green beans. were grown, yielding 1,512,642 bushels, or an average of 100.8 bushels per acre. The five leading States in bean cul tivation are New York, New Jersey, Florida, California and Virginia, Uses and Feeding The seeds and sometimes the pods are used, either green or dry, as food for man and animals. Some spe cies are grown for forage, hay or green manur ing. Owing to their nitrogen-gathering pro pensities they all aid in soil-renovation.