The precious vegetable came hither by the same road as the broad bean.

It is a foreigner, and of comparatively recent introduction into Europe." The reply of the insect merits serious examination, supported as it is by extremely plausible arguments.

Here are the facts.

For years attentive to matters agricultural, I had never seen haricots attacked by any insect whatever; not even by the Bruchidae, the licensed robbers of leguminous seeds.
On this point I have questioned my peasant neighbours.

They are men of the extremest vigilance in all that concerns their crops.