Beans !
Perhaps the most desirable of all special efforts to increase the supply of food in gardens is the introduction of the dwarf bean for consumption in the dried state. At the moment it is difficult to procure either butter beans so called, or the Dutch brown bean, both of which are of the highest food value. The French recognise three sorts of haricot: haricots verts, almost exclusively popular in England ; haricots flageolets, beans shelled and eaten in the manner of green peas, and haricots secs, the seeds as used in a dried state. The last form needs the most immediate emphasis. Now though Dutch brown beans, so called, are hard to procure, for seed or for consumption, there are a dozen and more sorts of dwarf bean not less good or easy to grow ; and they should be grown in quantity in garden and allotment. ' They can be procured from most good seeds men. One of the great authorities on vegetable seeds (Mr. Giles, of Sutton's) has put together the essential facts concern- ing the best varieties ; and it is to be hoped that his condensed words of wisdom will be issued in a cheap, available pamphlet. The important thing is that such sorts of ,bean should be secured for spring sowing from any good seedsman. Some are included in the 2s. 6d. packets of seeds, especially put up for allotment purposes on behalf of the Women's Institute.
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