kidney-bean; a genus of the dicandra order, belonging to the diadelphia class of plants. There are 25 species, the most remarkable of which are the following.

1. The lablab with a winding stalk, is a native of warm climates, where it is frequently cultivated for the table. Mr Haffefluit informs us, that it is cultivated in the Egyptian gardens, but is not a native of that country. The Egyptians make pleasant arbours with it in their houses and gardens, by supporting the stem and leading it where they think proper. They not only support it with sticks and wood, but tie it with cords; by which means the leaves form an excellent covering, and an agreeable shade.

2. The foja is a native of Japan, where it is termed daifusa; and, from its excellence, named; that is, "the legumen or pod," by way of eminence. It grows with an erect, slender, and hairy stalk, to our height of about four feet. The leaves are like those of the garden kidney-bean*. The flowers are of a bluish white, and produced from the bottom of the leaves, and succeeded by brilliantly hanging pods resembling those of the yellow lupine, which commonly contain two, sometimes three, large white seeds. There is a variety of this kind, with a small black fruit, which is used in medicine. Kempfer affirms that the seeds of this when pounded, and taken inwardly, give relief in the asthma. This legumen is doubly useful in the Japanese kitchens. It serves for the preparation of a substance named miso, that is used as butter; and likewise a pickle celebrated among them under the name of fooju, or foj. To make the first, they take a measure of name, or the beans produced by the plant: after boiling them for a considerable time in water, and to a proper degree of softness, they beat or bray them into a softish pulp; incorporating with it, by means of repeated braying, a large quantity of common salt, four measures in summer, in winter three. The less salt that is added, the substance is more palatable; but what it gains in point of taste, it loses in durability. They then add to this mixture a certain preparation of rice, to which they give the name of koos; and, having formed the whole into a compost, remove it into a wooden vessel which had lately contained their common ale or beverage named saeki. In about two months it is fit for use. The koos gives it a grateful taste; and the preparing of it, like the polenta of the Germans, requires the skilful hand of an experienced matter. For this reason there are certain people who make it their sole business to prepare the koos, and who sell it ready made for the purpose of making miso: a substance which cannot fail to be greatly valued in those countries, where butter from the milk of animals is unknown. To make fooju, or foj, they take equal quantities of the same beans boiled to a certain degree of softness; of muggi, that is corn, whether barley or wheat, roughly ground; and of common salt. Having properly mixed the beans with the pounded corn, they cover up the mixture, and keep it for a day and a night in a warm place, in order to ferment; then, putting the mats into a pot, they cover it with the salt, pouring over the whole two measures and a half of water. This compound substance they carefully stir at least once a day, if twice or thrice Delichos, the better; for two or three months: at the end of which time, they filtrate and express the mals, preserving the liquor in wooden vessels. The older it is, the better and the clearer; and if made of wheat instead of barley, greatly blacker. The first liquor being removed, they again pour water upon the remaining mals; which, after filtering for some days, as before, they express a second time, and thus obtain an inferior sort of toy.

3. The urens, or cow-itch, is also a native of warm climates. It hath a fibrous root, and an herbaceous climbing stalk, which is naked, dividing into a great number of branches; and rises to a great height when properly supported. The leaves are alternate and triplobate, rising from the stem and branches about 12 inches distant from each other. The footstalk is cylindrical, from 6 to 14 inches long. From the axilla of the leaf descends a pendulous solitary spike, from 6 to 14 inches long, covered with long blood-coloured papilionaceous flowers, rising by threes in a double alternate manner from small fleshy protuberances, each of which is a short pedunculus of three flowers. These are succeeded by leguminous, coriaceous pods, four or five inches long, crooked like an Italic s; densely covered with sharp hairs, which penetrate the skin, and cause great itching. This will grow in any soil, in those countries where it is a native: but is generally eradicated from all cultivated grounds; because the hairs from the pods fly with the winds, and torment every animal they happen to touch. If it was not for this mischievous quality, the beauty of its flowers would entitle it to a place in the best gardens. It flowers in the cool months, from September to March, according to the situation.

This plant has lately acquired a considerable reputation as an anthelmintic. As such it is mentioned by Dr Macbride, in his "Introduction to the theory and practice of Physic," and by some other authors. From the testimonies of Mr Cochrane surgeon at Nevis, and Mr Bancroft author of a "Natural history of Guiana," we are assured that it is used in these countries with the greatest safety and efficacy. Mr Bancroft, after mentioning the frequency of disorders arising from worms in that part of the world, and assigning some reasons for them, proceeds as follows. "But from whatever cause these worms are produced, their number is so great, that the usual remedies are very insufficient for their destruction; for which reason the planters in general have recourse to the cow-itch for that purpose. From whence its use was first suggested, I am uncertain; but its efficacy is indisputable. The part used is the seaceous hairy substance growing on the outside of the pod, which is scraped off, and mixed with common syrup or molasses, to the consistence of a thin electuary; of which a tea-spoonful to a child of two or three years old, and double the quantity to an adult, is given in the morning fasting, and repeated the two succeeding mornings; after which a dose of rhubarb is usually subjoined. This is the empirical practice of the planters, who usually once in three or four months exhibit the cow-itch in this manner to their slaves in general, but especially to all their children without distinction; and in this manner I have seen it given to hundreds, from one year old and upwards, with the most happy success. The patients, after the second dose, usually discharged an incredible number of worms, even to the amount of more than 20 at a time; so that the stools consisted of little else than these animals. But though these were indisputable proofs of its efficacy, I was far from being convinced of its safety. I observed that the substance given consisted of an assemblage of spicules exquisitely fine, and so acutely pointed, that, when applied to the skin, they excited an intolerable itching, and even inflammation; from whence I apprehended dangerous consequences from their contact with the coats of the stomach and intestines. Indeed, when mixed with an electuary in the manner in which they are given, their elasticity is impaired, that they do not produce the same sensible irritation: but yet I could conceive no other quality on which their efficacy depended; especially after I had prepared both a tincture and decoction from the cow-itch, and given them to worm-patients without any sensible advantage. Influenced by these suggestions, I particularly examined the state and condition of all such patients as I knew had taken the cow-itch; and yet can with the greatest truth declare, that, though prejudiced to its disadvantage, I was never able, either by my own observation or a diligent inquiry, to discover a single instance of any ill consequence resulting from its use; which has been so extensive, that several thousands must have taken it: and as no ill effects have been observed, I think not only its efficacy, but safety, are sufficiently evinced, to entitle it to general use; especially when we reflect on the uncertainty, and even danger, which attends other verminfuges. It is to be observed, that this remedy is particularly designed against the long round worm. Whether it is equally deleterious to the ascariides, or whether it has ever been used against them, is uncertain.