143 



FURZE. ULEX. 

 COMMON FURZE, WHIN, or GORSE. Ulex Europaus. 



Plate 11, fig. 3. 



Covering with its golden flowers almost all the commons of 

 the United Kingdom, nearly throughout the year ; so con- 

 stantly, indeed, that it is in many parts of the country a popu- 

 lar saying, that when the " Furze is out of blossom, kissing is 

 out of favor." 



" On me such beauty Summer pours. 

 That I am covered o'er with flowers; 



And when the frost is in the sky, 

 My branches are so fresh and gay, 

 That you might look at me and say. 



This plant can never die. 

 The butterfly, all green and gold, 



To me hath often flown, 

 Here in my blossoms to behold, 



Wings lovely as his own." Wordsworth. 



It is the only instance of a native shrub without leaves ; for 

 instead of them it bears on its various branches thousands of 

 long, sharp, branched thorns, and when these are intermixed 

 with the very numerous golden flowers, it is really a splendid 

 and interesting plant. 



" For the golden bud lives in a weapon-girt bower, 

 All around and about her are guardians of power, 

 And countless spears valiantly set." 



Abundant as the Gorse is with us, yet in the Highlands of 

 Scotland it is rare, and wholly unknown in Sweden, the 

 native country of the great Linnaeus, who had never seen this 

 plant grow till he came to England : when passing through a 

 lane where a large Furze bush was in full blossom, he stopped 

 to admire it, and forgetting his company, and the place where 

 he was he, in raptures of delight, and with a sincere and 

 grateful heart, fell upon his knees, and thanked God that he 

 had lived to see so beautiful a plant. Happy is he who looks at 

 the beauties and bounties of nature with a joyous and a thankful 

 heart! 



The poorer people of the country cut down the Furze for 

 winter firing, and for covering sheds and common buildings. 

 In many parts, however, it grows faster than is the consumption, 

 and in this case, it is common to set whole fields of it on fire, 



