Tut. They are weeds or noxious plants with respect to us; but doubtless they have their uses in the creation. Some of our papilionaceous plants, however, are able enough to shift for themselves; for gorse or furze is of the number.
Geo. What, that prickly bush all covered over with yellow flowers, that overruns our common?
Tut. Then there is broom, a plant as big, but without thorns, and with larger flowers. This is as frequent as furze in some places.
Har. I know it grows in abundance in the broom-field.
Tut. It does; but the naming of fields and places from it is a proof that it is not so common as the other.
Geo. We have some bushes of white broom in the shrubbery, and some trees of Spanish broom.
Tut. True. You have also a small tree which flowers early, and bears a great many pendent branches of yellow blossoms, that look peculiarly beautiful when intermixed with the purple lilacs.
Har. I know it—laburnum.
Tut. Right. This is one of our class of plants too. Then there is a large tree, with delicate little leaves, protected by long thorns, and bearing bunches of white papilionaceous flowers.
Geo. I know which you mean, but I cannot tell the name.