ANST --..Historical references to beans...

[RAISYA at aol.com]

Bear,

>You also have fasoles, which are an African variety of Vigna sinensis and
>are the ancestor of the modern black-eyed pea.  Another variety commonly
>called the cowpea has its origins in India.

These are two of the Old World candidates I mention vaguely, but since I have
never read a really reliable source on them, I hesitated to name them
specifically.  Thank you!

>>the fava seed I have is flat, brown and large, larger than a quarter.

>A little casual reading last night suggests that there a couple varieties of
>fava.  The chief difference appears to be the size of the seed.  There were
>no comments on the difference in taste.  I think the seed you are describing
>is the large seed variety.

Actually, I think originally there were a number of varieties of fava/broad
beans, most of them now lost.  I simply intended to give a first hand
description of the ones I have.  If you have any information on time to
maturity, etc. I'd be delighted to hear it, I have only the vaguest of
information on growing these.  So far, according to the LE MESNAGIER DE PARIS
(late 14th century) they are planted about the same time as peas.  From an
illumination, they appear to be an upright plant rather than a vine.  And
that's about all I know for certain.

Raisya Khorivovna
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