Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Kidney-vetch

KIDNEY-VETCH, Anthyllis, L. an indigenous biennial plant, comprising several species, of which the vulneraria, or Lady's-finger, is the principal: it grows in meadows and pastures, in a chalky or calcareous soil; produces yellow flowers from May to August; and its seeds ripen in October.

In the cultivation of this vegetable, no particular care is necessary, farther than to keep it clean from weeds. It affords excellent pasturage for sheep. Linnæus remarks that, when the kidney-vetch grows on a reddish clay soil, the blossoms present a red colour: but, in white clay-land, they are uniformly white.—Although these flowers were formerly celebrated as vulnerary, yet we believe they might be more usefully employed as a dyeing material, and perhaps, as a substitute for indigo; because, in a dry state, they acquire a blue colour. Country people obtain from them a fine yellow dye.—The plant is relished by cows and goats.