to shed rain. Always haul in when very
dry. Avoid stacking if possible, for they are always wasted rapidly by
moving. In drawing in, keep the rack under them covered with blankets to
save those that shell.

In pulling beans, be sure and take hold below the pods, otherwise the
pods will crack; and although no harm appears then to be done, yet, when
they dry, every pod that has been squeezed by pulling, will turn wrong
side out, and the contents be wasted. If your beans are part ripe and
the remainder green, and it is necessary to pull them to save the early
ones, or guard against frost, when the ripe ones are dry, thrash them
lightly. This will shell all the ripe ones, and none of the green ones.
Put the straw upon a scaffold and thrash again in winter. Thus you will
save all, and have beautiful beans. Bean-straw should always be kept dry
for sheep in winter; it is equal to hay.

_Garden-Beans._--There are many varieties, a few of which only should be
cultivated. Having the best, there is no object in raising an inferior
quality.

The best early string-bean is the Early Mohawk; it will stand a pretty
smart spring-frost without injury; comes early, and is good. Early
Yellow, Early Black, and Quaker, or dun-colored, are also early and
good.

Refugee, or Thousand-to-one, are the best string-beans known; have a
round, crisp, full, succulent pod; come as soon as the Mohawks are out
of the way; and are very productive. Planted in August, they are
excellent until frost; the very best for pickling. For an early
shell-bean we recommend the China red-face; the white kidney and
numerous other varieties are less certain and productive.

_Running Beans_ are numerous. The true Lima, very large, greenish, when
ripe and dry, is the richest bean known; is nearly as good in winter,
cooked in the same way, as when shelled green. They are very productive,
continuing in blossom till killed by frost. In warm countries they grow
for years, making a tree, or growing like a large grapevine.

The London Horticultural--called also Speckled Cranberry, and Wild
Goose--is a very rich variety. The only objection is the difficulty of
shelling; one only can be removed at once, because of the tenderness of
the pod. The Carolina or butter bean often passes for the Lima. It has
similar pods, the bean is of similar shape, but always white, instead of
greenish like the Lima, and smaller, earlier, and of inferior quality.
The Scarlet Runner, formerly o