THE YOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



319 



where they can find conjoined shelter and 

 sustenance. 



The ovary is surmounted by the five 

 persistent calyx teeth. It is three celled, 

 and on cutting it open the numerous little 

 seeds will be found sticking on end all over 

 a peculiar prolongation from the centre of 

 each cell. When ripe the capsules open by 

 three clefts at the base, and the seeds are 

 shaken out by the wind. 



This charming wilding of the moors has 

 always been a first favourite with the poets. 

 It can even lay claim to giving its name to a 

 popular national air, "The Blue-bells ol 

 Scotland," and many Scottish bards have 

 sung its praises. It seems to have been a 

 special favourite with Sir Walter Scott, who 

 happily describes its habitat and period of 

 flowering in the "Lay of the Last Minstrel." 



"Bat fitill, 



When summer Broiled on sweet Bowhill, 

 And July's eve with balmy breath 

 Waved the blue-bells on Newark heath. 



And that it lingers on into late Autumn is 



aptly noticed by Grahame : — 



" As yet the blue-bells linger in the sod 



That copes the sheepfold ring ; and in the woods 



A second flow of May flowers appears,— 



Flowers faintly tinged, and breathing no perfume." 



Again in " Rokeby," when describing the 



ruined state of the hall, Scott says : — 



" On Barbican and keep of stone, 

 Stern time the f oeman's work had done ; 

 Where banners the invader braved, 

 The harebell now and wallflower waved." 



How characteristic of the little Campanula, 

 one of the first plants to take possession of 

 the crevices of neglected ruins, where their 

 spreading rosettes of bright green root-leaves 

 and beautiful flowers of brilliant blue, form 

 one of Nature's fairest curtains to veil the de- 

 cay of man's handiwork, recalling also pleas- 

 ing associations of happy childhood, when in 

 gleeful frolic we tipped our fingers with the 

 " witches thimbles." Further on, he sings : 



" Let merry England proudly rear 

 Her blended roses bought so dear ; 

 Let Albin bind her bonnet blue 

 With heath and harebell dipped in dew." 



Again, in the " Lady of the Lake," when 



describing the charms of the fair Ellen, he 



says : — 



11 A foot more light, a step more true, 

 Ne'er from the heath-flower dashed the dew ; 

 E'en the slight harebell raised its head, 

 Elastic from her airy tread." 



Could there be a more vivid picture of the 

 sprightly grace and springy footstep of an 

 artless Scottish maid, or a more character- 

 istic description of the slender yet wiry stem 

 of the harebell. Again, Ellen herself says 

 when adopting it as her badge : — 



" ' For me,'— she stooped, and looking round, 



Plucked a blue harebell from the ground,— 



' For me whose memory scarce conveys 



An image of more splendid days. 



This little flower that loves the lea 



May well my simple emblem be. 



It drinks heaven's dew as blithe as rose, 



That in the king's own garden grows ; 



And when I place it in my hair, 



Allan, a bard, is bound to swear 



He ne'er saw coronet so fair.' " 



One other quotation must suffice, for we 



could fill pages in praise of this pet blossom. 



Mid ruins crumbling to decay, 



Thy flowers their heavenly hues display, 



Still freshly springing, 

 Where pride and pomp havo passed away, 

 On mossy tomb and turret grey, 



Like friendship clinging. 



" But most I love thine azure braid, 

 When softer flowers are all decayed, 



And thou appear est 

 Stealing beneath the hedgerow shade 

 Like joys that linger as they fade, 



Whoso last are dearest." 



It is only as showy ornamental plants 

 that the Bellflowers are valued, for none of 

 them have acquired commercial importance. 

 One species (C. rapunculus) has been cultiva- 

 ted for its roots — used as radishes — and 

 called "ramps," but it has never found 

 much favour in this country. Another 

 species (C. trachelium), or throat wort, had at 

 one time a repute in diseases of the throat, 

 but it has now fallen into disuse. 



A curious legendary property was once 

 ascribed to the harebell, that it increases 

 the supply of milk in the breasts of nurses, 

 this doubtless arose from the old law of 

 signatures, owing to the milky juice which 

 it and its allies exude when bruised, but 

 this, if it possesses any quality, is astringent 

 in its nature. A blue ink has been made 

 from the harebell, and its roots are said to 

 have been used as food ; but if so, it must 

 have been under the pressure of the direst 

 famine, or else eaten by way of experiment. 



