FURZE, Ulex, a genus of plants of the natural order legaminosco, sub-order onacece, distinguished by a two-leaved calyx with a small scale or bractea on each side at the base, stamens all united by their filaments, and a turgid pod scarcely longer than the calyx. The COMMON F. (U. also called WHIN and GORSE,is a shrub about 2 or 3 ft. high, extremely branched; the branches green, striated, and terminating in spines; the leaves few and lanceolate; the flowers numerous, solitary, and yellow. It is common in many of the southern parts of Europe and in Britain, although it does not reach any considerable elevation on the British mountains, and often suffers from the frost of severe winters; whereas in mild seasons its flowers may be seen all winter, so that there is an old proverb, "Love is ont of season when the furze is out of blossom." It is scarcely known in any of the northern parts of Europe; and Linnwils is said to have burst into exclamations of grateful rapture when he first saw a common covered with F. bushes glowing in the profusion of their rich golden flowers. F. is sometimes planted for hedges,•but is not well suited for the purpose, occupying a great breadth of ground, and not readily acouiring sufficient strength; besides, it does i not, when cut, tend to acquire a denser habit. It is useful as affording winter food for
sheep, and on this account is burned down to the ground by sheep-farmers when its stems become too high and woody, so.that a supply of green succulent shoots may be secured. In sonic-parts of Wales, F., chopped and bruised, forms the principal part of the winter fodder of horses. In some places, it is sown to yield green food for sheep or other animals, but is preferable to other green crops only on dry sandy soils, where they could not be advantageously cultivated. It is most extensively cultivated in Flanders. It is chopped and bruised by means of a mallet, one end of which is armed with knife blades; or by means of a simple machine, called a gorse-mill.—A double-flowering variety is common in gardens. A very beautiful variety, called hush F., because originally found in Ireland (U: stratus of some botanists), is remarkable for its dense, compact, and erect branches. A dwarf kind of F. (U. lianas) occurs in some places, and is perhaps also a mere variety; if so, there is only one species known.
In fox-hunting countries, F. is encouraged on account of the excellent cover it affords. It is also a favorite cover for rabbits.