No. 144.] 597 



Oregon pea, described in last year's report, the origin of which 

 is unknown. It greatly resembles, if it is not identical with the 

 oleaginous pea fdolichos viiidis) lately introduced into France 

 from China by M. Montigny, French consul at Shanghai, to whom 

 we are already indebted for the sorgho sucre and the Chinese yam. 



Japan pea, also described in last year's report, and has been 

 since cultivated with remarkable success. 



Soja bean (soja hispida), procured by the Japan expedition ; 

 two varieties, the " white" and the "red-seeded," both of which 

 are employed by the Japanese for making soy, a kind of black 

 sauce, prepared with the seeds of this plant, wheat flour, salt and 

 water. This " soy," or "soja," whhich is preferred to the kifjap 

 of the Chinese, is used in almost all their dishes instead of com- 

 mon salt- The soy may be made as follows : take a gallon of the 

 beans of this plant and boil them until soft, add bruised wheat 

 one gallon; keep them in a warm place for twenty-four hours, 

 then add comm-^n salt one gill, and water two gallons, and put 

 the whole into a stone jar and keep it tightly closed for two or 

 three months, frequently shaking it, and then press out the liquor 

 for use. The seeds ot this plant, to be cultivated, only require to 

 be sown in a warm sheltered situation, at the time of planting 

 Indian corn, and cultivated as any garden bean. 



White Lupine (Lupinus albus), from the south of Spain, where 

 it is cultivated to a limited extent for forage as well as for soiling. 

 It was employed as food by the ancient Romans, and, as with the 

 inhabitants of the present day, was ploughed into the soil as a 

 manure. lu Germany, also, it has been found tw be one of those 

 plants by which unfruitful sandy soils may be most speedily 

 brought into a productive state. The superiority of this plant 

 for the purpose of enriching the soil depends upon its deep roots, 

 which descends more than two feet beneath the surface; upon its 

 being little injured by drought, and not liable to be attacked by 

 insects; upon its rapid growth, and upon its large produce in 

 leaves and stems. Even in the north of Germany it is said to 

 yield, in three and a half to four mouths, ten or twelve tons of 

 green herbage. It grows in all soils except such as are marly 



