264 ON THE PRODUCTS OF THE PEA FAMILY. 



very varied ; in some, we have valuable and well-known articles of food ; 

 others yield us timber, dyes, gums, &c. It may, therefore, not be unin- 

 teresting to give a summary of the products furnished by this useful order, 

 arranging them according to the natural plan of their respective genera in 

 the family. 



It may be as well to notice before proceeding further, that there are 

 many articles of commerce well known by botanists to be produced by 

 plants of this order, whose exact species cannot be determined, simply on 

 account of the absence of flowering specimens. Thus, for instance, the 

 rosewood of our cabinet makers remains undetermined for want of speci- 

 mens of the fruit, flowers, and leaves of the tree producing it, by which 

 means alone the true source of the product can be decided. It would be 

 well if collectors or agents abroad would secure such specimens of the plant 

 furnishing the wood or other commodity which is to be transmitted home. 

 This deficiency was very manifest in the Great Exhibition of 1851, where 

 specimens of wood, apparently valuable for strength, durability, and size, 

 were rendered useless for want of information respecting the source from 

 whence they were obtained. A great deal of the existiug ignorance and 

 confusion on these points will probably be dispelled by the specimens 

 which will be sent home to the International Exhibition this year from 

 the colonies, in conformity with the suggestions and instructions of Dr. 

 Lindley. It is well known that it is the character of some natural families 

 to yield hard and valuable woods, while those produced from others are 

 soft and worthless. By this will be seen and understood, the advantage 

 derived from a knowledge of the affinities of the plant yielding a certain 

 timber which may be under dispute. Nor does this apply to woods only, 

 whatever the product, the true name of the plant furnishing it should be 

 known ; from this fact, benefits arise both to the commercial, and scien- 

 tific world. To proceed, then, in their classified order according to the 

 arrangement of Mr. Bentham, we will commence with Baptisia tinctoria, Br. 

 This plant, called Wild Indigo, is found growing abundantly in all parts 

 of America. It is used chiefly in medicine. The root is the part in 

 greatest repute. A dye is obtained from the plant, of a pale blue colour, 

 used as a substitute for indigo, though much inferior. An infusion or 

 decoction of the leaves of Cyclopia genistioides, Vent., a Cape plant, is 

 employed in South Africa in consumption and chronic catarrh ; its native 

 name is " Honig-thee." Several species of the genus, Gastrolobium are known 

 in Western Australia as poison plants, on account of the fatal effects to 

 cattle which browse upon them. The leaves of Borbonia ruscifolia, Sims, 

 are used at the Cape of Good Hope as tea, and are also employed in medi- 

 cine under the name of " Stekel-thee." The seeds of ,the White Lupin, 

 (Lupinus alius, Lin.), a native of the Levant, but now cultivated in the 

 South of Europe, are employed in Italy as an article of food. With us 

 the plant is almost unknown except as an ornamental flower. Small 

 quantities of the seeds are, however, occasionally imported, chiefly consumed 

 by Italians residing in this country. The Arabians eat the peduncles of 



