done carelessly, there will very soon be none to gather, for the
swelling of a few seeds in neglected pods will cause the plants to
cease bearing. Therefore all the Beans should be gathered when of a
proper size, whether they are wanted or not; this is the only way to
insure a long-continued supply of good quality both as to colour and
tenderness.
Autumn, Winter and Spring Supplies.—By successional sowings under glass
a continuous supply of Beans may be obtained through autumn, winter,
and spring. The earliest sowings should be made at fortnightly
intervals, from mid-July to mid-September, in cold frames filled with
well-manured soil. Put in the seeds two inches deep and six inches
apart, in rows one foot apart. Water copiously during the hot months
and give protection when the nights become cold. After mid-September
crops of dwarf-growing varieties should be raised in heated pits, or in
pots placed in a warm temperature. In pits the beds should be one foot
deep, the drills one foot apart, and the plants six inches asunder in
the rows. When pots are used the ten-inch size will be found most
convenient. Only three-parts fill the pots with a good compost, and
insure perfect drainage. Place eight or nine beans one and a half
inches deep in each pot, eventually reducing the number of plants to
five. As the plants progress soil may be added to within an inch and a
half of the rims. Air-giving and watering will need careful management,
for the most robust growth possible is required, but there must be no
chill, and any excess of either moisture or dryness will be immediately
injurious. When a few pods are formed feed the plants with alternate
applications of soot water and liquid manure, commencing with highly
diluted doses. Thoroughly syringe the plants twice daily to combat Red
Spider. At night a temperature of from 55° to 60° must be maintained.
In mid-February sowings may be made in frames in which six inches of
fertile soil has been placed over a good layer of litter or leaves.
From these sowings heavy crops may be secured in spring and early
summer before the outdoor supplies are ready.
Flageolets is the name given to the seeds of certain types of Dwarf and
Climbing Beans when used in a state intermediate between the green pods
(_Haricots verts_) and the fully ripe seeds (_Haricots secs_), and they
are strongly to be recommended for culinary purposes. The use of Bean
seeds as _Flageolets_, although so little known in this country, is
very largely practised abroad, and in the vegetable markets of many
French towns the shelling of the beans from the semi-ripe pods by
women, in readiness for cooking in the manner of green peas, is a very
familiar sight. The seeds of almost all varieties are suitable for use
in this way, irrespective of colour, as this is not developed as would
be the case if the seeds were quite ripe.
CLIMBING FRENCH BEAN
The Climbing French Bean has all the merits of the Dwarf French Bean,
and the climbing habit not only extends the period of bearing but
results in a yield such as cannot be obtained from the most prolific
strains in the Dwarf section. Although the modern Climbing Bean is less
vigorous in growth than the ordinary Runner, the former may generally
be had in bearing before the most forward crop of Runners is ready. For
an early supply out of doors seed should be sown under glass in April,
in the manner advised for early crops of the Dwarf class. Gradually
harden off the plants and transfer to permanent quarters on the first
favourable opportunity. In the open ground successive sowings may be
made from the end of April to June. The outdoor culture of Climbing
French Beans is practically the same as for the Dwarf varieties, except
that the former are usually grown in double rows about four to five
feet apart. Allow the plants to stand finally at nine to twelve inches
each way, and support them with bushy sticks such as are used for Peas,
for Climbing Beans will run far more readily on these than on single
sticks.
The Climbing French Bean is especially useful for producing crops under
glass in spring and autumn, and the plants do well when grown in narrow
borders with the vines trained close to the roof-glass by means of wire
or string to which the growth readily clings. The general treatment may
be much the same as that recommended for the Dwarf varieties, special
care being taken with regard to watering and the giving of air. During
the autumn months atmospheric moisture must be cautiously regulated or
much of the foliage will damp off, while in spring a humid atmosphere
should be maintained and systematic watering practised. Cucumber,
Melon, and Tomato beds from which the crops have been cleared may often
be used to advantage for raising a crop of Climbing Beans, and
generally these beds are in excellent condition for the plants without
the addition of manure.
HARICOT BEAN
Although in France the term _Haricot_ is given to all types of Beans,
except those of the English Broad Bean, in this country the word
_Haricot_ is generally applied only to the dried seeds of certain Dwarf
and Climbing Beans, notably those which are white. Almost any variety,
however, may be used as _Haricots_, but the most popular are those
which produce self-coloured seeds, such as white, green, and the
various shades of brown. Seed should be sown early in May and the
plants treated as advised for French Beans. The pods should not be
removed from the plants until the seeds are thoroughly ripe. If
ripening cannot be completed in the open, pull up the plants and hang
them in a shed until the seeds are quite dry.
RUNNER BEAN
Phaseolus multiflorus
Runner beans need generous cultivation and will amply repay for the
most liberal treatment. The main point to be borne in mind is that the
plant possesses the most extensive root-system of any garden vegetable.
Deep digging and liberal manuring are therefore essential where the
production of the finest crops is aimed at. If possible the whole of
the ground to be allotted to Runners should be deeply tilled and well
manured in autumn or winter. But where this is inconvenient, trenching
must be carried out in March or early April. Remove the soil to a depth
of two feet, and the trench may be two feet wide for a double row of
Beans. Thoroughly break up the subsoil, half-fill the trench with
well-rotted manure, and restore the surface soil to within a few inches
of the level.
Time of Sowing.—It is seldom advisable to sow Runners in the open
before the month of May is fairly in, for they are less hardy than
Dwarf Beans, but as late supplies are everywhere valued it is important
to sow again in June. Of course these late crops are subject to the
caprices of autumnal weather, although they often continue in bearing
until quite late in the season. In districts where spring frosts are
destructive, and on cold soils or in very exposed situations, plants
may be raised in boxes for transferring to the open ground, as advised
for Dwarf Beans, but in the case of Runners allow a space of three
inches between the seeds.
Distances for Rows, &c.—Frequently the rows of Runner Beans are
injuriously close, and the total crop is thereby diminished. On deep,
well-prepared soils, single rows generally prove most productive, and
they should be not less than five feet apart. But where the soil is
shallow and generous preparation is not possible, and in wind-swept
positions, double rows, set nine inches apart, are more satisfactory.
Between the double rows allow a space of from six to eight feet, on
which Cauliflower, Lettuce, or other small-growing subjects may be
planted out. Two inches is the proper depth for putting in the seed,
and it is a wise policy to sow liberally and eventually to thin the
plants to a distance of from nine to twelve inches apart in the rows.
Staking.—It will always pay to give support by stakes, but where these
are not available wire netting or strands of stout string make
efficient substitutes. Immediately the plants are a few inches high,
insert the sticks on either side of the rows and tie them firmly to the
horizontal stakes placed in the fork near to the top. The means of
support should be decided upon and erected in advance of planting out
Runners which have been raised in boxes, thus avoiding any risk of
injury to the roots.
But Runners make a good return when kept low by topping, and without
any support whatever, a system adopted by many market gardeners. For
this method of culture space the plants one foot apart in single rows
set three feet apart. Pinch out the tips when the plants are eighteen
inches high and repeat the operation when a further eighteen inches of
growth has formed.
General Cultivation.—As slugs and snails are particularly partial to
the young plants, an occasional dusting of old soot, slaked lime, or
any gritty substance should be given to render the leaves unpalatable
to these pests. During drought copious watering of the rows is
essential, especially on shallow soils; spraying the plants in the
evening with soft water is also freely practised and this assists the
setting of flowers in dry weather. A mulch of decayed manure will prove
of great benefit to the plants and will prolong the period of bearing.
In some gardens Runners are grown in groups running up rods tied
together at the top, and when these groups are arranged at regular
intervals on each side of a path, the result is extremely pleasing.
This mode of culture interferes to a very trifling extent with other
crops, and the ornamental effect may be enhanced by growing varieties
which have white, red, and bicolor flowers.
Preserving the roots of Runners is sometimes recommended. We can only
say that it is a ridiculous proceeding. The utmost care is required to
keep the roots through the winter, and they are comparatively worthless
in the end. A pint of seed will give a better crop than a number of
roots that have cost great pains for their preservation.
Runner Beans for Exhibition.—Although fine specimens fit for exhibition
may frequently be gathered from the general garden crop, a little extra
attention to the cultivation of Runner Beans for show work will be well
repaid. When staged the pods must possess not only the merit of mere
size, but they should be perfect in shape and quite young. Rapid as
well as robust growth is therefore essential to success. Select the
strongest-growing plants in the rows, and for a few weeks before the
pods are wanted give alternate applications of liquid manure and clear
water. Pinch out all side growths, and limit the number of pods to two
in each cluster.
WAXPOD BEAN
Many visitors to the Continent have learned to appreciate the fine
qualities of the Waxpod Beans, sometimes known as Butter Beans, the
pods of which are usually cooked whole. There are two types, the dwarf
and the runner, for which respectively the culture usual for Dwarf
French Beans and Runner Beans will be quite suitable.
GARDEN BEET
Beta vulgaris
As a food plant the Beet scarcely obtains the attention it deserves.
There is no lack of appreciation of its beauty for purposes of
garnishing, or of its flavour as the component of a salad; but other
uses to which it is amenable for the comfort and sustenance of man are
sometimes neglected. As a simple dish to accompany cold meats the Beet
is most acceptable. Dressed with vinegar and white pepper, it is at
once appetising, nutritive, and digestible. Served as fritters, it is
by some people preferred to Mushrooms, as it then resembles them in
flavour, and is more easily digested. It makes a first-rate pickle, and
as an agent in colouring it has a recognised value, because of the
perfect wholesomeness of the rich crimson hue it imparts to any article
of food requiring it.
Frame Culture.—Where the demand for Beet exists the whole year through,
early sowings in heat are indispensable. For this method of cultivation
the Globe variety should be employed, and two sowings, the first in
February and another in March, will generally provide a good supply of
roots in advance of the outdoor crops. Sow in drills on a gentle
hot-bed and thin the plants from six to nine inches apart in the rows.
As soon as the plants are large enough, give air at every suitable
opportunity. Fresh young Beets grown in this way find far more favour
at table than those which have been stored for several months. They are
also of great service for exhibition, especially in collections of
early vegetables.
Preparation of Ground.—The cultivation of Beet is of the most simple
nature, but a certain amount of care is requisite for the production of
a handsome and profitable crop. Beet will make a fair return on any
soil that is properly prepared for it; but to grow this root to
perfection a rich light loam is necessary, free from any trace of
recent or strong manure. A rank soil, or one to which manure has been
added shortly before sowing the seed, will produce ugly roots, some
coarse with overgrowth, others forked and therefore of little value,
and others, perhaps, cankered and worthless. The soil should be well
prepared by deep digging some time before making up the seed-bed, and
it is sound practice to grow Beet on plots that have been heavily
manured in the previous year for Cauliflower, Celery, or any other crop
requiring good cultivation. If the soil from an old Melon or Cucumber
bed can be spared, it may be spread over the land and dug in, and the
piece should be broken up in good time to become mellow before the seed
is sown. Seaweed is a capital manure for Beet, especially if laid at
the bottom of the trench when preparing the ground. A moderate dressing
of salt may be added with advantage, as the Beet is a seaside plant.
Early Crops.—Where frames are not available for providing early
supplies of Beetroot, forward crops may often be obtained from the open
ground by making sowings of the Globe variety from the end of March to
mid-April, in a sheltered position. Of course, the earlier the sowing
the greater the risk of destruction by frost, and birds may take the
seedlings. A double thickness of fish netting, however, stretched over
stakes about one foot above the soil, will afford protection from the
former and prevent the depredations of the latter. Set the drills about
twelve inches apart and sow the seed one and a half to two inches deep.
Thin the plants early and allow them to stand finally at nine inches in
the rows.
Main Crop.—The most important crop is that required for salading, for
which a deep-coloured Beet of rich flavour is to be preferred, and the
aim of the cultivator should be to obtain roots of moderate size and of
perfect shape and finish. The ground having been trenched two spades
deep early in the year, may be made up into four-and-a-half-feet beds
some time in March, preparatory to sowing the seed. The main sowing
should never be made until quite the end of April or beginning of May.
For a neat crop, sow in drills one and a half to two inches deep, and
spaced from twelve to fifteen inches apart. When finally thinned the
plants should stand about nine inches apart in the rows. Hand weeding
will have to follow soon after sowing, and perhaps the hoe may be
required to supplement the hand. The thinning should be commenced as
early as possible, but it is waste of time to plant the thinnings, and
it is equally waste of time to water the crop. In fact, if the ground
is well prepared, weeding and thinning comprise the whole remainder of
the cultivation.
Some of the smaller and more delicate Beets, of a very dark colour, may
be sown in drills a foot or fifteen inches apart and thinned to six
inches distance in the drills. We have, indeed, lifted pretty crops of
the smaller Beets at four inches, but it is not prudent to crowd the
plants, as the result will be thin roots with long necks.
On stony shallow soils, where it is difficult to grow handsome long
Beets, the Globe and Intermediate varieties may be tried with the
prospect of a satisfactory result. We have in hot seasons found these
most useful on a damp clay where fine specimens of long Beet were
rarely obtainable. From this same unkind clay it is possible to secure
good crops of long Beets, by making deep holes with a dibber a foot
apart and filling these with sandy stuff from the compost yard and
sowing the seed over them. It is a tedious process, but it benefits the
land for the next crop, and the Beets pay for it in the first instance.
Late Crops.—By sowing the Globe or Turnip-rooted varieties in July,
useful roots may be obtained during the autumn and winter. Space the
drills as advised for early crops. Seed may also with advantage be
thinly sown broadcast; the young plants will thus protect one another,
and the roots may be pulled as they mature.
Lifting and Storing.—A Beet crop may be left in the ground during the
winter if aided by a covering of litter during severe frost. But it is
safer out of the ground than in it, and the proper time to lift is when
a touch of autumn frost has been experienced. Dry earth or sand, in
sufficient quantity, should be ready for the storing, and a clamp in a
sheltered corner will answer if shed room is scarce. In any case, a dry
and cool spot is required, for damp will beget mildew, and warmth will
cause growth. In cutting off the tops before storing, take care not to
cut too near the crown, or injurious bleeding will follow. On the other
hand, the long fang-like roots may be shortened without harm, for the
slight bleeding that will occur at that end will not affect more than
the half-inch or so next to the cut part. A little experience will
teach anyone that Beets must be handled with care, or the goodness will
run out of them. Many cooks bake Beets because boiling so often spoils
them; but if they are in no way cut or bruised, and are plunged into
boiling water and kept boiling for a sufficient length of time—half an
hour to two hours, according to size—there will be but a trifling
difference between boiling and baking.
The Silver, or Sea Kale, Beet is grown principally for the stalk and
the midrib of the leaf, considered by some to be equal to Asparagus. In
a rank soil, with plenty of liquid manure, the growth is quick, robust,
and the plant of good quality, without the necessity of earthing up.
Sow in April and May, thinly in drills, and allow the plants eventually
to stand at about fifteen inches apart each way. The leaves should be
pulled, not cut. As the stalks often turn black in cooking, it is
advisable to add a few drops of lemon-juice to the water in which they
are boiled, and, of course, soda should never be used. They should be
served up in the same manner as Asparagus. The remainder of the leaf is
dressed as Spinach.
BORECOLE, or KALE
Brassica oleracea acephala
The Borecoles or Kales are indispensable for the supply of winter
vegetables, and their importance becomes especially manifest when
severe frost has made general havoc in the Kitchen Garden. Then it is
seen that the hardier Borecoles are proof against the lowest
temperature experienced in these islands; and, while frost leaves the
plants unharmed, it improves the tops and side sprouts that are
required for table purposes.
As regards soil, the Borecoles are the least particular of the whole
race of Brassicas. They appear to be capable of supplying the table
with winter greens even when grown on hard rocky soil, but good loam
suits them admirably, and a strong clay, well tilled, will produce a
grand sample. Granting, then, that a good soil is better than a bad
one, we urge the sowing of seed as early as possible for insuring to
the plant a long season of growth. But early sowing should be followed
by early planting, for it is bad practice to leave the plants crowded
in the seed-bed until the summer is far advanced. This, however, is
often unavoidable, and it is well to consider in time where the plants
are to go, and when, according to averages, the ground will be vacant
to receive them. The first sowing may be made early in March, and
another in the middle of April. These two sowings will suffice for
almost all the purposes that can be imagined. A good seed-bed in an
open spot is absolutely necessary. It is usual to draw direct from the
seed-bed for planting out as opportunities occur, and this method
answers fairly well. But when large enough it is better practice to
prick out as a preparation for the final planting, because a stouter
and handsomer plant is thereby secured. If it is intended to follow the
rough and ready plan, the seed drills should be nine inches apart; but
for pricking out six inches will answer, and thus a very small bed will
provide a lot of plants. When pricked out, the plants should be six
inches apart each way, and they should go to final quarters as soon as
the leaves touch one another. On the flat, a fair distance between
Borecoles is two feet apart each way, but some vigorous kinds in good
ground will pay for another foot of space, and will yield enormous
crops when their time arrives. Transplanting is usually done in June
and July, and in many gardens Kales are planted between the rows of
second-early or maincrop Potatoes. The work should be done during
showery weather if possible, but these Brassicas have an astonishing
degree of vitality. If put out during drought very little water is
required to start them, and as the cool weather returns they will grow
with vigour. But good cultivation saves a plant from extreme
conditions; and it is an excellent practice to dig in green manure when
preparing ground for Kales, because a free summer growth is needful to
the formation of a stout productive plant.
We have suggested that two sowings may be regarded as generally
sufficient, but we are bound to take notice of the fact that the late
supplies of these vegetables are sometimes disappointing. In a mild
winter the Kales reserved for use in spring will be likely to grow when
they should stand still, and at the first break of pleasant spring
weather they will bolt, very much to the vexation of those who expected
many a basket of sprouts from them. A May sowing planted out in a cold
place may stand without bolting until spring is somewhat advanced. Kale
of the ‘Asparagus’ type, such as Sutton’s Favourite, will often prove
successful when sown as late as July.
As regards the varieties, they agree pretty nearly in constitution,
although they differ much in appearance and in the power of resisting
the excitement of spring weather. But in this section of vegetables
there are a few very interesting subjects. The Variegated and Crested
Kales are extremely ornamental and eminently useful in large places for
decorative purposes. These do not require so rich a soil as Sutton’s A1
or Curled Scotch, and they must have the fullest exposure to bring out
their peculiarities. It is found that in somewhat dry calcareous soils
these plants acquire their highest colour and most elegant proportions.
When planted by the sides of carriage drives and in other places where
their colours may be suitably displayed, it is a good plan to cut off
the heads soon after the turn of the year, as this promotes the
production of side shoots of the most beautiful fresh colours. A crop
of Kale may be advantageously followed by Celery.
BROCCOLI
Brassica oleracea botrytis asparagoides
The great importance of this crop is indicated by the long list of
varieties and the still longer list of synonyms. As a vegetable it
needs no praise, and our sole business will be to treat of the
cultivation.