Mike Avery, age 16, of Bowling Green, Ohio, for his question:

HOW DOES THE LENTIL GROW?

The lentil is an annual plant that grows flattened seeds that are used for food. The lentil belongs to the same family as the pea and the bean and it grows much the same way.

A lentil plant grows to be from six to 18 inches in height and it   likes light, dry soil. Blue flowers bloom in June and July and the seeds are formed by the end of summer.

The French lentil has yellow beans while the Egyptian variety has seeds that are reddish yellow. These are the two best known types shipped to the United States.

The lentil is a very nourishing vegetable that is rich in protein and carbohydrates. It is often served in soups and casseroles. As a food, it is eaten more in Southern Europe and western Asia than it is in America.

The lentils seeds are lens shaped and are less than a half inch in diameter. The lens itself was named because it looked like a lentil seed.