Dec. 1894.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 315 



known to cause illness, and some time ago, in Leith I 

 think, several persons suftered from partaking of the raw 

 seeds. The bad effects seem to follow only when the seeds 

 are eaten raw, no harm resulting if the seeds are first 

 cooked. 



The Lupines. — None of these are natives of Britain, 

 but several species are well known in Southern Europe and 

 in some parts of Asia. One of the best known is Lupinvs 

 albus, grown for fodder, or the crop may be ploughed in as 

 manure. Its seeds are eaten by man and also by cattle 

 after steeping and boiling to remove the bitter taste. A 

 bitter principle, probably alkaloidal, seems to be charac- 

 teristic of the various species, and we have certain 

 knowledge in the case of two at anyrate, viz., L. alius and 

 L. angustifolius. From the seeds of L. albus an alkaloid 

 has been isolated identical with an alkaloid from the seeds 

 of Z. angustifolius. The alkaloid is called Lupauine. 

 Bitter to the taste, it is said not to be hurtful to man, but 

 it has been shown, experimentally, to be poisonous to frogs. 



Sarothamnus scoparius, Broom. — This plant, well known 

 in the Pharmacopoeia as diuretic and cathartic, has had 

 isolated from it a volatile liquid alkaloid called Sparteine, 

 which is said to have narcotic properties. One writer 

 speaks of sheep eating the broom pods and suffering from a 

 kind of intoxication, and mentions, too, an old use of the 

 broom tops in Wales as communicating a bitter flavour to 

 beer. But we need not go so far afield, for those who know 

 their Allan Eamsay will remember his " Elegy on Maggy 

 Johnstoun." Last century this Maggy Johnstoun kept an 

 inn near Ediuburoh which was a favourite resort on account 

 of a particular kind of clear and intoxicating ale sold there. 

 Eamsay who knew the place well, and recalling his exper- 

 iences and singing Maggy's praises, writes : — 



" Some say it was the pith of bi-oom 

 That she stirr'd in her masking loom 

 Which in oor heads raised sic a scorn, 



Or some wild seed 

 ■\Vhicli aft the chafiiig-stoup did toom 

 But lilled our head." 



In conclusion, I would refer to two well-known plants, 

 Ulex europceus, gorse or whin, and Ci/tisus Lahurniim, the 

 laburnum. Gerard has isolated from the seeds of the 



