146 
WAYSIDE AND WOODLAND TREES. 
is fine, but we rather prefer Cowper’s “ rich in streaming gold,” 
as embodying a more exact colour idea. The flowers are 
succeeded by long downy legumes or pods, like those of the 
bean and pea, containing many seeds, which are of a dangerously 
violent emetic character when introduced to the human stomach. 
Iiaburnum. 
A, seed-pod. 
The dark wood is of coarse grain ; but, in spite of this, hard 
and enduring, and taking a good polish. It is chiefly used by 
musical instrument makers, turners, and cabinet-makers. 
Laburnum is the old Latin name, which is thus rather fanci- 
fully explained by Prior, “ an adjective from L. labor, denoting 
