==Time of Sowing.==—­It is seldom advisable to sow Runners in the open before the month of May is fairly in, for they are less hardy than Dwarf Beans, but as late supplies are everywhere valued it is important to sow again in June.  Of course these late crops are subject to the caprices of autumnal weather, although they often continue in bearing until quite late in the season.  In districts where spring frosts are destructive, and on cold soils or in very exposed situations, plants may be raised in boxes for transferring to the open ground, as advised for Dwarf Beans, but in the case of Runners allow a space of three inches between the seeds.

==Distances for Rows, &c.==—­Frequently the rows of Runner Beans are injuriously close, and the total crop is thereby diminished.  On deep, well-prepared soils, single rows generally prove most productive, and they should be not less than five feet apart.  But where the soil is shallow and generous preparation is not possible, and in wind-swept positions, double rows, set nine inches apart, are more satisfactory.  Between the double rows allow a space of from six to eight feet, on which Cauliflower, Lettuce, or other small-growing subjects may be planted out.  Two inches is the proper depth for putting in the seed, and it is a wise policy to sow liberally and eventually to thin the plants to a distance of from nine to twelve inches apart in the rows.

==Staking.==—­It will always pay to give support by stakes, but where these are not available wire netting or strands of stout string make efficient substitutes.  Immediately the plants are a few inches high, insert the sticks on either side of the rows and tie them firmly to the horizontal stakes placed in the fork near to the top.  The means of support should be decided upon and erected in advance of planting out Runners which have been raised in boxes, thus avoiding any risk of injury to the roots.

But Runners make a good return when kept low by topping, and without any support whatever, a system adopted by many market gardeners.  For this method of culture space the plants one foot apart in single rows set three feet apart.  Pinch out the tips when the plants are eighteen inches high and repeat the operation when a further eighteen inches of growth has formed.

==General Cultivation.==—­As slugs and snails are particularly partial to the young plants, an occasional dusting of old soot, slaked lime, or any gritty substance should be given to render the leaves unpalatable to these pests.  During drought copious watering of the rows is essential, especially on shallow soils; spraying the plants in the evening with soft water is also freely practised and this assists the setting of flowers in dry weather.  A mulch of decayed manure will prove of great benefit to the plants and will prolong the period of bearing.

In some gardens Runners are grown in groups running up rods tied together at the top, and when these groups are arranged at regular intervals on each side of a path, the result is extremely pleasing.  This mode of culture interferes to a very trifling extent with other crops, and the ornamental effect may be enhanced by growing varieties which have white, red, and bicolor flowers.