THE FLORIDA VELVET BEAN.
[To THE EDTTOR OF TH2 " fil'ECTATOR."]
SITZ,—I send you herewith a sample of the new Florida pro- duct,—the wonderful velvet bean. Up to two years ago it was grown here in a limited way, mainly as a trellis shade, but afterward it became recognised as invaluable for all kinds of stock as a forage, and a phenomenal fertiliser for orange and other fruit trees, and for the soil as well, until it is now grown in large quantities. There is nothing yet discovered that is, all in all, so valuable a crop as this for farmers to raise. It being an air plant, it will do well in most any kind of soil, in any of the States, north or south, that will grow corn, and no fertilising is necessary. The forage—the foliage and vine—coming from this bean is a marvel and a wonder. Planting in rows 4 ft. apart will produce a solid mass of vine and foliage, up to your waist in height, covering the ground completely, and yielding leaf, vine, and fruit, aggregating four to five tons to the acre, and of dry beans twenty to thirty bushels. Beside the vine being a valuable fertiliser, forage, mulch, and shade, the question will be asked," Is it also prolific in fruit ? " The answer is "Yes, emphatically so." From the bill the vines run out in all directions like the water-melon, 10 ft. to 20 ft. It commences to fruit at the bill in clusters like the raisin-grape, thence along the entire length of the vines at intervals of 10 in. to 20 in. pods in clusters of from two to twenty appear. Therefore the fruitage must be immense. For twenty years this bean has had a home in Florida, and has been known among the people as "the climber." In good rich sail it will climb 50 ft. to 60 ft., blooming and fruiting all the way up,— a most beautiful and lovely sight to look upon. To drill an acre will take sixteen quarts of seed; to plant an acre in rows 4 ft. apart each way, about twelve quarts. In good soil this acre will produce four to five tons of green forage, and fifteen to seventeen hundred pounds of beans. I speak from practical knowledge, as I have recently harvested nineteen acres of as fine a crop as ever grew.
Plant seed in spring the same time as you do corn, and cultivate and treat in same way, until vine begins to fill the row, then lay by for the season. When bean is ripe in the fall pick it, then turn maas of dry leaf and vine under for fertiliser, and from this your soil is immensely benefited. It is a good idea to drill or plant corn right in with bean seed as a partial support to vine, to keep pods off the ground. You can turn stock into bean field if you wish, or cut vines up at hill and carry out to stock, latter being advisable. If planted in orange grove or orchard, keep 5 ft. or more away from trees, as vine is a rampant grower and climber, and will cause you bother. Experience has shown that it is better to drill than to plant in hills, as by drilling you get a better stand on the ground, and that is important. The beans ground up, hulls and all, make a fine fertiliser for pine-apples, orange, and other fruit trees, as well as for all vegetable growth. Stock of all kinds like it, as well as the green forage early in the season, and all do specially well on it. Every living thing on the farm will eat the green forage and dry bean with greediness. The dry bean is also fit for table use. The question is often asked if this newcomer—the Florida velvet bean—will do well in any other section of our country except Florida. I answer by saying there is no earthly reason. why it will not, as it is not tropical, and will do well wherever corn will grow. After having made a thorough test of it, I have come to the conclusion that, as a fertiliser, forage feed, mulch, shade, a prolific bearer of fruit, an up-builder of the soil, this bean has no rival. As a porch and trellis-shade, with its beautiful dark-green foliage, and its long, pendant, down-hanging purple bloom, it is truly lovely. The analysis of this bean shows :—Nitrogen, 54 per cent.; crude protein, 19; fat, 6; fibre, 8; moisture, 12. Any further information your readers may want, if they will send stamp, I will cheer- fully reply.—I am, Sir, &c.,
P.S.—If you desire to say, for the benefit and information of your many readers, that this seed may be obtained in your city of John Shaw and Sons, 5 Great Maze Pond, Borough, you are at liberty to do so.
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