Carolina. Saba. West-Indian. Small Lima. Carolina Sewee. Phaseolus lunatus, var.
The Sieva is a variety of the Lima, attaining a height of ten or twelve feet. The leaves and flowers resemble those of the Common Lima. The pods, however, are much smaller, and remarkable for their uniform size; generally measuring three inches in length, and about seven-eighths of an inch in width: they are green and wrinkled while young, pale yellowish-brown when ripe, and contain three, and sometimes four, seeds.
Though several days earlier than the Lima, the Sieva Bean requires the whole season for its complete maturity; and even when planted early, and receiving the advantage of a warm summer and a favorable autumn, it is seldom fully perfected in the Northern States: for, though much of the crop may ripen, a large portion almost invariably is prematurely destroyed by frost.
The variety will blossom in eight weeks from the time of planting, afford pods for shelling in twelve weeks, and ripen from near the middle of September till destroyed by frost.
The seeds are white or dull yellowish-white, broad-kidney-shaped, much flattened, five-eighths of an inch long, and nearly half an inch broad. A quart contains about sixteen hundred, and will plant about a hundred and fifty hills.
The Sieva is one of the most productive of all varieties. The young pods, however, are tough and hard, and are never eaten. The beans, in their green or ripe state, are similar to the Lima, and are nearly as delicate and richly flavored. It is from two to three weeks earlier than the last named, and would yield a certain abundance in seasons when the Lima would uniformly fail. As a shelled-bean, green or dry, it must be classed as one of the best, and is recommended for cultivation.
Mottled Sieva.
A sub-variety of the Common Sieva; the principal if not the only mark of distinction being in the variegated character of the seeds, which are dull-white, spotted and streaked with purple.
It is sometimes described as being earlier than the Common variety; but, from various experiments in the cultivation of both varieties, there appears to be little if any difference in their seasons of maturity. The color and form of the flower are the same as the Sieva; the pods are of the same size and shape; and the leaves have the same elongated form, and smooth, glossy appearance.