ON THE PRODUCTS OP THE PEA FAMILY. 267 



muslin over them at night ; the dew-drops collect upon the leaves and 

 saturate the cloth, which is removed in the morning and wrung, the liquid 

 being preserved in bottles is ready for use. It is exceedingly acid, and in 

 wringing the cloth, care has to be taken to wash the"hands immediately, to 

 prevent injury to the flesh by the action of the acid. The older the plants 

 are, the stronger and more red the acid appears ; and the longer it is kept, 

 the more powerful does it become. It is considered a sure medicine in cases 

 of indigestion, being administered in water. The extreme sharpness of the 

 acid may be understood by the fact that the boots of a person walking 

 through a gram-field will be entirely destroyed by its action. It is known 

 in India by the name of " Kudlee Hoolee ; " the market price is about two 

 annas (3d.), per tola weight (the weight of a silver rupee, 180 grains). The 

 leaves of this plant are eaten as a vegetable. It has been cultivated from a 

 very remote period, and was known to the ancient Egyptians, Hebrews, and 

 Greeks. 



Perhaps the best known of all the products of this order are its 

 true types, beans and peas ; the first-named are the produce of Faba 

 vulgaris, the latter of Pisum sativum. These are largely cultivated in 

 all temperate countries as articles of food. Peas contain a much larger 

 quantity of nutritive matter than beans, the proportion being about 

 57^ per cent, in peas, and 9 per cent, in beans. The native country 

 of the pea is involved in doubt ; but, in all probabilty, it originally 

 came from the neighbourhood of the Black Sea. Its introduction 

 into this country dates many centuries back ; for, we find in the 

 reign of the eighth Henry an entry in the privy purse expenses to the 

 effect of a reward being paid to a man " for bringing pescodds to the King's 

 grace, iiij.s. viii. d." In the time of Queen Elizabeth, they were imported 

 from Holland, and must have been considered a great luxury, it having 

 been written of them that they were " fit dainties for ladies," on account of 

 the great price they fetched. Large quantities of peas are annually imported 

 into this country from Dantzic and other places. 



The native country of the bean {Faba vulgaris), is also obscure ; it is 

 certain that it was introduced to this country at a very early date, and is 

 now extensively cultivated here as in other parts of the world, Africa, 

 China, Japan, &c, as an article of food. The importation of beans has of 

 late increased to a great extent, considerable quantities being derived from 

 Alexandria and Cairo. Their use is chiefly for feeding horses. Of lentils, 

 the seeds of Ervum Lens, L., there are several varieties, which are exten- 

 sively cultivated in France, Egypt, many parts of India, and other countries, 

 though almost unknown in England. The small red lentil is chiefly 

 imported for feeding cattle ; the seed is not more than half the size of the 

 French lentil, which is the most esteemed ; it is sold in this country for 

 making soups. The seeds are also reduced to a flour, the skin or husk 

 being carefully removed ; in this form it is advertised and sold as " Reva- 

 lenta Arabica." 



The Tare or Vetch ( Vicia saliva, L.), is a plant well known in our own 



