In season: Broad-beans - June to August. French - June to August. Scarlet-runners - July to September.

The Bean is said to be a native of Egypt, and is supposed to have been brought to England by the Romans.

The dwarf Kidney-bean is a native of India, and was introduced about the time of Gerrard.

The Scarlet-runner is a native of South America, and was introduced into England in 1633, when it was considered a flower, or ornamental plant, and was cultivated in the flower-garden only. The kidney-bean and scarlet-runner differ from other leguminous vegetables in the pods of all kinds being eaten.

The Americans make an excellent dish called Succatash from the bean. As our book is designed for possible emigrants as well as home-readers, we give two recipes for making it.

Take one quart of dried sweet corn to one or two of beans. Put the beans to soak in a basin, with water to cover them; rinse the corn in cold water and put them in a basin with water to cover it, let them remain until the next day; within two hours of dinner-time pour the water from the beans, pick out any imperfections, and put them with the corn, with the water in which it is soaked, into a dinner-pot; cut a pound of nicely corned pork in thin slices, put it to the corn and beans, and put over them hot water, rather more than to cover them; add a very small red pepper or a salt-spoonful of cayenne, and cover the pot close; set it where it will boil very gently for an hour and a half, then put it in a deep dish; add a bit of butter to it, and serve.

The pork may be scored and not cut up, if preferred, and served in a separate dish. Dried corn and beans may be soaked and cooked in this manner, without the pork; when taken up, add plenty of sweet butter, season with salt and pepper, and serve. Lima beans are the best; the small white kidney-bean next.

Beans And Indian Corn Called Succatash

Take the husks and silk from a dozen ears of Indian corn, and with a sharp knife cut the kernels from the cob; scrape gently what remains on the cob with a knife blade; string a quart or more of green beans, and cut them in inch lengths or shorter, wash them and put them to the corn; put them with the corn into a stewpan, add half a pint of boiling milk or water, cover it close, and let them boil rather gently for three quarters of an hour; then add a teacup of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, and a salt-spoonful of pepper; stir them well together; cover it for ten minutes; take the beans and corn into a dish, with more or less of the liquid, as may be liked. This dish may be made without butter, by substituting half a pound of nicely-corned fat pork, washed in cold water, and cut in thin slices. No other salt is required. As we have said before, Lima beans and sweet corn make the finest succatash.

Preserving French Beans

"Procure a large stone jar or a glazed earthenware pan with a lid, such as is employed for pickling pork, and put the beans in it as they are gathered, avoiding those which are too young, as well as those which are too old. They should be gathered when dry, and laid in the pan or jar in layers two or three inches in thickness. Over each layer put sufficient salt to fill up the space between the pods, and leave them just covered. As each layer is put in, it must be pressed down, and a piece of clean board that will fit the vessel should be laid over them, and a heavy weight put upon it to keep the beans underneath the brine. The board can, of course, be easily removed when a fresh layer is added. By this simple method I have supplied families throughout the winter with beans scarcely inferior in flavour to those just gathered in the summer, but better than those grown in a forcing-house. Previous to using, they must be soaked in water for two or three hours, and then sliced up with a knife in the ordinary way." - Gardeners' Magazine.

Broad Beans Mashed

Boil some old broad beans for one hour, mash them through a coarse sieve, and mix with them a little butter, pepper, and salt. Put the mash into a hot basin or mould, and turn it out before serving. (See plate).