Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-12
MICH EXPECTED FROM NEW BEAN
MUCH EXPECTED FHUN NE" bTHN
Or, Rather, from nm Old Bean rhat
Is Found to he Very Nutritious
Jacksonville Fia.) Citize

(JackSOnVille lfia.) Iiu]eiAj
A plant that has been fairly familiar
10 most residents in Florida as as orna-
mental vine seems destined to come
TO the front as one of the most valuable
OF our farm-productions. Like the beggar-
weed. il has long been known but I'M
appreciated, and like that plant, its use
fulness u coming TO be understood. ana
II promises much to the farmer.
In many gardens 1t can De seen grow
ing over old fences or frames. producing
q wonderful growth OF vine and foiiage'
and in the fall 1t bears great clusters
of pods covered with black velvet
These pods inciose five or six beans, some
what resembling the old "quaii-head va
riety I'm their markings. Every pod IL
filled and the seeds arr plump and heavy.
They do not shell easily. and the seeds
| will remain in the pods ali winter IL
| not shelled out.
few years ago the attention or Cap
| tain A.P. Newheart, Of Ocaia, was called
10 this plant with its abundant foliage
and enormous yield. He planted II on
large scale in his oranSe-groVe, anu fouhu
that II far surpassed any other variety
of the cowpea. He fed the VINE ana seeu
10 stock, and found that II was ueVoureu
oreediIv. Later on he sent some Of the
beans 10 Professor Cute, or the Asri-
cultural College. Analysis shows them to
he richer in ammonia and IN fat-produc,
ing qualities than any other member OF
the family known in Florida. They nave
been tested as a food for man, and the
verdict Is chat, next TO the lima pean'
they are the richest In flavor ana most
agreeable to the taste. OF any or the
family.
The idea has generally been accepted
among those who grew 1t as an orna-
mental plant, that the beans were poi
sonous This proves TO be an unfounced
belief. as Professor Clute writes Mc New
heart that they are harmless, and vaiu-
able as food for man. Others living
near Ocoee have tested them. and reach
ed the same conclusion. Captain New
heart believes that as food for stock or
for family consumption they are superior
TO any bean or pea grown. one oil MS
neighbors has tested them for hog and
chicken food and declares them equal to
corn and far more prolific. Captain New
heart says that as mulch for land, or
for orange-trees, they have no equal. ana
as a renovator of land they form the
most profitable crop that he knows OF.
He kept them from growing over his
|
about once week with fork or stick
and throwing the vines away from the
trees.
To show how they YIELD a gentleman
who lives near the Captain told Citizen
reporter o few days ago that he planted
an acre and a half to this pea last spring.
His ground Is now covered with vines.
which form a dense mulch. and he be-
lieyes that were he to harvest the entire
crop the yield would be l50 bushels or TO-
bushels to the acre. He had used the
meal from the ground peas as a fertilizer
In his corn-fed. alongside OF cottonseed-
meal, with a better result than he got
from cottonseed. Captain Newheart has
also used the meal as a fertilizer. with
similar result The vine ID an enormous
grower. A single vine will grow 40 feet.
and It's foliage will cover the entire top
OF a 25-year-old orange-tree during the
summer. They have been so grown In this
place on a limited scale during the past
summer, and the foliage Of the plant
made the dead trees look like live ones.
If the half that its friends claim for this
bean Is true. its value to the Florida
farmer and stockman Is beyond all cal
culation.