LUPINE. 97 



llio Jand, wliicli arc lioed up before tlicy fruc- 

 tify. This is also practised in the south of France 

 in poor dry soils, as a meliorating crop to be 

 ploughed in, where no manure is to be had, and 

 the ground is too poor for clover and other better 

 crops. 



The ancients named this plant Lvpiniis, from 

 Lupus, a wolf, on account of its voracious nature. 

 When this pulse was eaten without preparation to 

 destroy the bitter, it was apt to contract the 

 muscles, and give a sorrowful appearance to the 

 countenance — hence Virgil calls it Tristes Lujnnus, 



The name of Lupinus is of great antiquity ; 

 and the seeds are said to have been used by the 

 ancients, in their plays and comedies, instead of 

 pieces of money : hence the proverb, Nummus Lu- 

 pinus, a piece of money of no value ; as also that 

 of Horace — 



Nee tamen ignorat, quid distent JEra Lupinis. 



The French call this plant Le Lujyin, the Ita- 

 lians Lupino, the Spaniards Entramocos, and the 

 Germans Felgbonen, Fig-bean. 



Lupines have long possessed a place in our 

 gardens, since they appear to have been common 

 in the time of Gerard ; but they scarcely deserve 

 a situation amongst choice flowers, and we should 

 therefore recommend them to the shrubbery, where 

 the Yellow Lupine, Lufeus, is acceptable, on ac- 



VOL. II. Y 



