PEA AND BEAN TRIBE 175 



Highlands of Scotland being often without a bush of this plant, though its 

 golden blooms enli^'en other portions of those regions. The Furze-shrub is 

 usually about three or four feet high, but in some sheltered situations it 

 grows to the height of fifteen, or even eighteen feet ; and its beautiful 

 yellow flowers glow on the dark green stems, during the summer months, in 

 profusion, beginning to deck the shrub in lesser number as early as February. 

 Indeed, there is no season of the year in which we might not find a Furze- 

 branch adorned with flowers ; and its perpetual bloom is alluded to in more 

 than one of our familiar English country proverbs. In summer, when it 

 contrasts with the purple heath and ling, and shadows the beautiful harebells, 

 few plants are more attractive. Hardy as the shrub seems on our open 

 heaths, exposed to the coldest winds which sweep among the boughs, yet it 

 is aflected by climate more than some plants which we usually regard as 

 tender. Both heat and severe cold are unfavourable to it; and while, on 

 the one hand, it rarely grows wild farther south than Provence, it is unknown 

 in the north of Europe, except as a cultivated plant. In Sweden and Russia 

 it is kept in the greenhouse, and Gerarde relates of it, in his day, that about 

 Dantzic, Brunswick, and Poland, not a branch of it was growing, except some 

 few plants and seeds which he had sent thither, and which " were most 

 curiously kept in their fairest gardens." The delight of Dillenius on seeing 

 it in profusion on the English common, and the rapture of Linnaeus, when 

 he knelt on the sod thanking God for its loveliness, can be well understood 

 by the lover of flowers. Mary Isabella Tomkins, in a little poem, written 

 for this volume, refers to the emotion experienced on this occasion by the 

 great Swedish botanist : — 



" A strong man kneeling, and in tears, " No ; none of these — the naturalist 



Beneath June's azure sky, By his true heart impell'd, 



Stiange is it, strange, ■when joy appears Could not this meed of praise resist 



Grief's outward form so nigh ! For Avliat lie then beheld ; 



Is it some exile who hath found An open heath, where thick was spread 



Again his native shore ? The Gorse of golden hue, 



A stranger he — this heathy ground With heavy perfume round it shed 



He never trod before. That well the wild- bee knew. 



" Is it a pilgi'im who hath sought " And he that wept gave thanks to God 



Some deeply hallow'd spot, This glorious sight to greet, 



And sunk, o'erpower'd at the thought And sank upon the thymy sod 



Of faith that dieth not ? That spread beneath his feet ; 



Is it a warrior on the plain He wlio had scann'd wide Nature's page 



Where meeting myriads fell ? With loving eyes, and keen, 



No, here the only purple stain Had yet attaiu'd to middle age 



Is of the heather-bell. Before that sight was seen : 



' ' The thanks Linnaeus gave that day, 

 I also would rejieat, 

 When these gold blooms in rich array 

 On the rough heath I greet." 



The Furze-bush is sometimes planted for hedges; and the poor in the 

 neighbourhood of a common frequently use it for fuel. In places where 

 coals are very expensive and peat rare, it has even been cultivated for that 

 purpose. It gives a good degree of heat while burning. It is, in villages, 

 esteemed a valuable remedy for jaundice, but probably this is owing to the 

 colour of its flowers, many yellow objects, as oranges, yolk of eggs, etc., 



