October beans have traditionally been shelly beans with carmine stripes harvested in September and October. Varieties mostly used in Virginia in my youth were horticultural types. Dwarf Horticultural (Taylor Strain) and a large pole one ( probably French Horticultural, Cranberries, Wrens egg etc would also fit this category. When marketed as October beans they had to have briliant carmine striped pods and speckled beans which are noticably sweeter than common dry beans.