GENTIAN. 145 



not only a valuable medicine, but also an excellent sub- 

 stitute for hops in brewing : and before hops had esta- 

 blished their reputation, this Gentian was commonly used 

 for that purpose. The roots of this and of the Purple 

 Gentian strike two feet in depth. 



All the kinds hare mentioned will bear the open air. 



GERANIUM. 



GERANIUM, ERODIUM, AND PELARGONIUM. 



GERANIACE^. MONADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 



The name. Geranium, is derived from the Greek language, and sig- 

 nifies a crane : the fruit having the form of a crane's bill and head. 

 The English name is Crane's-bill ; but the plant is more generally 

 known by its botanical appellations. The Geranium is divided into 

 three genera : Erodium is the first. Pelargonium the second, and the 

 third retains the old name of Geranium, which, indeed, is still fa- 

 miliarly used for them all, as well as the English name Crane's-bill. 

 Erodium is from the Greek, and signifies a heron, whose bill is similar 

 to that of the crane ; Pelargonium is from the same language, and 

 signifies a stork, whose bill is equally long. — French, le geranion ; la 

 geraine ; bee de grue ; bee de cicogne. — Italian, geranio, becco di gru. 



There is no end to the varieties of Geranium, and as 

 new ones continually occur, there most probably never 

 will be an end to them. It were idle to attempt a general 

 description of a plant so well known as any common species 

 of Geranium ; since there is scarcely a street, or even an 

 alley in London, but is adorned with one or more of them. 

 But there are many plants bearing this title which have no 

 kind of resemblance to these in their general appearance, 

 and which the most passionate lover or attentive observer 

 of these beautiful plants, unskilled in the mysteries of bo- 

 tanical science, would never discover to belong to them. 



