The Field and Garden Vegetables of America Part 93

COMMON LENTIL. _Law._

Yellow Lentil.

This variety is considered superior to the Large Lentil, though the seeds are much smaller. In the markets of Paris, it is the most esteemed of all the cultivated sorts. Its season is the same with that of the last named.

GREEN LENTIL.

Lentille verte Du Puy. _Vil._

The Green Lentil somewhat resembles the Small Lentil, particularly in its habit of growth; though its stem is taller and more slender, and its foliage deeper colored. The princ.i.p.al distinction is in the color of the seeds, which are green, spotted and marbled with black.

LARGE LENTIL. _Law._

Flowers small, white, generally two, but sometimes three, on each peduncle; the pods are three-fourths of an inch long, half an inch broad, flattened, and generally contain a single seed, which is white or cream-colored, lens-shaped, three-eighths of an inch in diameter, and an eighth of an inch in thickness. The plant is about fifteen inches high.

It is one of the most productive of all the varieties, though inferior in quality to the Common Lentil.

ONE-FLOWERED LENTIL.

Ervum monanthos.

The stem of this quite distinct species is from twelve to fifteen inches high; the flowers are yellow, stained or spotted with black, and produced one on a foot-stalk; the pods are oval, smooth, and contain three or four globular, wrinkled, grayish-brown seeds, nearly a fourth of an inch in diameter.

About five hundred and fifty seeds are contained in an ounce.

The One-flowered Lentil is inferior to most of the other sorts; but is cultivated to some extent, in France and elsewhere, both for its seeds and herbage.

RED LENTIL. _Law._

Seeds of the size and form of those of the Common Lentil, but of a reddish-brown color; flowers light-red. Its season of maturity is the same with that of the last named.

SMALL LENTIL. _Law._

Lentille pet.i.te. _Vil._

Seeds about an eighth of an inch in diameter; flowers reddish; and pods often containing two seeds.

This is the "Lentille pet.i.te" of the French; and is the variety mostly sown for green food in France, although its ripe seeds are also used. It is rather late, and grows taller than any of the other sorts, except the Green Lentil. When sown in drills, they should be from ten to fifteen inches apart, and the plants about four or five inches distant in the rows.

The Lentils are of a close, branching habit of growth; and a single plant will produce a hundred and fifty and often a much greater number of pods.

LUPINE.

Lupinus.

The Lupines are distinguished among leguminous plants by their strong, erect, branching habit of growth. Of the numerous species and varieties, some are cultivated for ornament, others for forage, and some for ploughing under for the purpose of enriching the soil. The only species grown for their farinaceous seeds, or which are considered of much value to the gardener, are the two following:--

WHITE LUPINE. _Law._

Lupinus albus.

An annual species, with a st.u.r.dy, erect stem two feet high; leaves oblong, covered with a silvery down, and produced seven or eight together at the end of a common stem; the flowers are white, in loose, terminal spikes; the pods are straight, hairy, about three inches long, and contain five or six large, white, flattened seeds,--these are slightly bitter when eaten, and are reputed to possess important medical properties.

"The White Lupine was extensively cultivated by the Romans for its ripened seeds, which were used for food; and also for its green herbage, which was employed for the support of their domestic animals."

It is of little value as an esculent; and, compared with many other leguminous plants, not worthy of cultivation.

The seeds should be sown where the plants are to remain, as they do not succeed well when transplanted. Sow early in May, in drills sixteen to eighteen inches apart; cover an inch and a half deep, and thin to five or six inches in the rows.

YELLOW LUPINE. _Law._

Lupinus luteus.

The Yellow Lupine is a native of Sicily. It is a hardy annual, and resembles the foregoing species in its general character. The flowers are yellow; the pods are about two inches long, hairy, flattened, and enclose four or five large, roundish, speckled seeds. It blossoms and ripens at the same time with the White, and is planted and cultivated in the same manner.

This species is grown in Italy for the same purposes as the White, but more extensively. It is also grown in some parts of the south of France, on poor, dry grounds, for cutting in a green state, and ploughing under as a fertilizer.

THE PEA.

Pisum sativum.

The native country of the Pea, like that of many of our garden vegetables, is unknown. It is a hardy, annual plant; and its cultivation and use as an esculent are almost universal.

To give in detail the various methods of preparing the soil, sowing, culture, gathering, and use, would occupy a volume.

The following directions are condensed from an elaborate treatise on the culture of this vegetable, by Charles M'Intosh, in his excellent work ent.i.tled "The Book of the Garden:"--

_Soil and its Preparation._--The Pea comes earliest to maturity in light, rich soil, abounding in humus: hence the practice of adding decomposed leaves or vegetable mould has a very beneficial effect. For general crops, a rich, hazel loam, or deep, rich, alluvial soil, is next best; but, for the most abundant of all, a strong loam, inclining to clay. For early crops, mild manure, such as leaf-mould, should be used.

If the soil is very poor, stronger manure should be employed. For general crops, a good dressing may be applied; and for the dwarf kinds, such as Tom Thumb, Bishop's New Long Pod, and the like, the soil can hardly be too rich.

_Seed and Sowing._--A quart of ripe pease is equal to about two pounds'

weight; and contains, of the largest-sized varieties, about thirteen hundred, and of the smaller descriptions about two thousand, seeds. A pint of the small-seeded sorts, such as the Daniel O'Rourke, Early Frame, and Early Charlton, will sow a row about sixty feet in length; and the same quant.i.ty of larger-growing sorts will sow a row of nearly a hundred feet, on account of being sown so much thinner. A fair average depth for covering the seed is two and a half or three inches; though some practise planting four or five inches deep, which is said to be a preventive against the premature decay of the vines near the roots.

As to distance between the rows, when pease are sown in the usual manner (that is, row after row throughout the whole field), they should be as far asunder as the length of the stem of the variety cultivated: thus a pea, that attains a height or length of two feet, should have two feet from row to row, and so on to those taller or lower growing.

They are sometimes sown two rows together, about a foot apart, and ten, twenty, or even fifty feet between the double rows; by which every portion of the crop is well exposed to the sun and air, and the produce gathered with great facility. There is no loss of ground by this method; for other crops can be planted within a foot or two of the rows, and this amount of s.p.a.ce is necessary for the purpose of gathering.

A common practice in ordinary garden culture is to sow in double rows twelve or fourteen inches apart, slightly raising the soil for the purpose. When so planted, all of the sorts not over two feet in height may be successfully grown without sticking. When varieties of much taller growth are sown, a greater yield will be secured by bushing the plants; which is more economically as well as more strongly done if the planting is made in double rows. The staking, or bushing, should be furnished when the plants are three or four inches high, or immediately after the second hoeing: they should be of equal height, and all straggling side-twigs should be removed for appearance' sake.