On 9/5/05 17:35, in article , "Nick
Maclaren" wrote:


In article , Chris Bacon
writes:
| Nick Maclaren wrote:
| I think that field beans are essentially the beans that were
| a staple in Europe before Phaseolus vulgaris was imported from
| the Americas. So, for a true mediaeval flavour, you know what
| to grow :-)
|
| Erm, phaseolus vulgaris? French bean, surely? Vicia faber = broad
| bean. I remember this as my "local" used to have three barmaids
| named Phaseolus Multiflorus, Phaseolus Vulgaris, and later Vicia
| Faber. These names were singularly appropriate, if not well-liked.

Yes, except it's faba not faber (feminine, meaning broad bean, not
masculine, meaning workman).

The staple bean of Europe up to the 15th century was V. faba, but
it was replaced fairly rapidly by the imported P. vulgaris, which
spread from the south. That is why it is called the French bean,
to distinguish it from the ordinary bean. Since then, the word
"bean" has moved to the more commonly eaten bean, and the older
ordinary bean has acquired the epithet "broad".

Aha! Hence 'fava beans' in some countries.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)