30 FURZE. 



bees, and butterflies, and many another living 

 creature. But besides this, tiie young shoots 

 afford a good pasture for cattle ; and Knapp 

 observes, that on several downs in Wales, 

 Devon, and Cornwall, the Purze-bushes assume 

 commonly the appearance of large green dense 

 balls ; every tender leaf being constantly shorn 

 'down by sheep and rabbits. The roots of the 

 Furze are useful, too, in binding loose soil, 

 and the plant is often grown on hill-sides for 

 this purpose. 



Several of our poets refer to the golden 

 blossoms of the Furze, which are to be seen 

 gleaming in beauty, even when cold winds and 

 snow have withered almost all other flowers. 

 These remain, 



"A token to the wintry earth that beauty Hveth still." 



The common Gorse begins to bloom in May, 

 and is beautiful even late in autumn ; while the 

 dwarf species, ( UkcV naniis^ which is very like 

 this, but smaller, blossoms in autumn : but the 

 flow^ers of both species may sometimes be 

 gathered throughout the winter. 



