LEGUMINIFER^. 6 



more evident ones. Wings straight nearly to the apex, where they 

 are folded over ; petals of the keel cohering very slightly, and readily 

 separable, with a shaggy strip along their lower margin. Tod 

 f inch long, dark brown, nearly black, coarsely punctate, thickly 

 covered with long, shaggy, bristly, fulvous-brown hairs. Seeds 

 olive-broAvn, ovoid-compressed, with a roundish-oval depression at 

 the hilum. Spines and leaves dark dull green, stem and primary 

 spines rather thinly hairy. 



The variety 3, which is known by the name of the " Irish 

 Purze," is now acknowledged by Professor Babington to be merely 

 a variety of the common Furze, as it does not always retain its 

 characters when raised from seed. 



Common Furze, Gorse, TFJiin. 



French, Ajonc cCEwrope. German, Euoropliischer Gaspeldom, Heckensame. 



We are told, on good authority, that the Furze is sometimes spelt Furres, and 

 is a name of obscure origin, possibly coming from fir, these bushes being, like the 

 coniferous trees, used for firewood or fuel. Our own notion would rather be that the 

 bright yellow flowers, seeming almost flame-like in tlieir brillkncy, suggested the name 

 " fire " or " furze " bush. 



The beauty of this attractive but treacherous bush invites unwary ti-avellers to 

 pull its branches, and to regale themselves with the delicious perfume of its blossoms ; 

 but they soon find that its prickly stems are an ample protection against those who 

 covet its beauty. A poet observes : — 



" And what more noble than the vernal Furze 

 With golden baskets hung ? Approach it not, 

 For every blossom has a troop of swords 

 Drawn to defend it." 



The Furze is not a very hardy plant, although we constantly see it on open com- 

 mons and wastes. Severe frosts are very liable to injure it, and during some of our 

 sharp winters, such as that of 1801, whole fields of Furze perished. Linnieus is 

 said to have lamented that he could not keep it alive in Sweden even in a green- 

 house. It was one of his favourite plants, and it is related that, when he first 

 visited England and saw it in flower on Hounslow Heath, he fell on his knees 

 and thanked God for having created a plant so beautiful. The same story is also 

 told of Dillenius ; so that we may perhaps doubt its authenticity. The Furze is 

 thought to be the Scorpius of Theophrastus, and the Ulex of Pliny. By botanists 

 before the days of Linnseus it was known as a Broom, and called Genista spinosa. 

 Linnieus restored to it the name of Ulex, by which it has ever since been recognized. 

 In France, the Gorse or Whin is generally used for burning, for which purpose it is 

 cut down every few years in places where it grows naturally. In Surrey and other 

 counties it is used largely as fuel, especially by bakers in their ovens, and is cultivated 

 for that purpose, and cut down every three years. When burned it yields a quantity 

 of ashes rich in alkali, which are sometimes used for washing, either in the form of 

 a solution or lye, or mixed with clay, and made into balls as a substitute for soap 

 The ashes form an excellent manure, and it is not uncommon, where the ground is 

 covered with Furze bushes, to burn them down to improve the land, and to secure a 



