198 PEA. BEAN. FURZE. 



Lucern, Medica'go sati'va; and Saintfoin, He- 

 dys'arum. The botanical name of the Pea is 

 Pi'sum, and the species that we eat is called Sati'- 

 vum; the Bean is a species of vetch, Vicia Fa'ba: 

 but neither of these species grows wild in England. 

 The Bean is a native of Egypt. The Pea came 

 Originally from the south of Europe ; and cultiva- 

 tion has produced a great many varieties of the 

 seed, which differ very much from each other in size 

 and flavour. 



The garden Sweet-pea is a native of Sicily ; its 

 botanical name is Lath'yrus odora'tus. 



The common Broom, Spar'tium scopa'rium, be- 

 longs to this class, and grows wild in England; as 

 well as the Dyer's Green-weed, Genis'ta tincto'ria, 

 and the Furze, U'lex europae'us, that you see in 

 such large bushes on the heath. This last shrub, 

 though it is so abundant in England, is by no 

 means common in other parts of Europe: Portugal 

 and France produce it more plentifully, perhaps, 

 than any other country except our own. In Corn- 

 wall this plant grows, with great luxuriance, to the 

 height of six or eight feet; but it will not bear severe 

 cold. Linnaeus tried to preserve some plants of it 

 through the winter in Sweden, under cover, with 

 as much care as we bestow on hot-house plants, 

 but without success : and when he came to England, 

 in the year 1736, he was so much delighted with 

 the golden bloom of the furze, which he saw for 



