A friend is trying to track down an old variety of french bean called Comtesse du Chambour or Chambourg. Does this name ring any bells for anyone?

Raymond,

I don't have the time to do extensive searchng but thought I'd give you some clues.

I could not find it listed in my back SSE Yearbooks using the spelling you used. And did not go back to look after finding a different spelling.

I did find it in the 1885 edition of Vilmorin, the venerable French seed firm, as follows:

Haricot Comtesse de Chambord

And that was indicated as being known in English as:

Dwarf White Rice Kidney Bean

Aside from a full description of this variety it's also noted that there is a version of it known as Haricot Nain de Hongrie , aka Dwarf Hungarian Kidney Bean, aka Hungarian Rice Kidney Bean.

Vilmorin is available in reprint .

At least your friend now has other words to use in an online search, or otherwise.

Carolyn, who has done no further searching re the above so doesn't know what's in the back SSE Yearbooks or indeed online.

Raymond,

Just b/c I was curious I did a Google search, link below, and it looks like two sources, the 2nd link better than the first, perhaps.

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: bean source

Carolyn,

Thank you so much for that. I also tried Google for the original spelling but found nothing. Armed now with a likely candidate my friend might have more luck tracking it down. I must get hold of a copy of Vilmorin.

Ray

Armed now with a likely candidate my friend might have more luck tracking it down. I must get hold of a copy of Vilmorin.

Ray,

No need to track it down.

In the link above I gave you two seed sources for it.

Carolyn, who also says if you 're going to get Vilmorin you should also consider getting Fearing Burr's book from the late 1800's as well. Also in reprint. Both are excellent as historical resources.

Thanks again Carolyn. I have seen refernces to Vilmorin in several places but I hadn't ever come across Fearing Burr.

And in reference to the bean, it turns out that there is a seed source right here in Australia and that it seems this bean is still widely grown in India, it's purported place of origin, as a fodder crop. That is of course if it's the same bean.