118 THE FLORIST. 
calls into life a thousand blossoms, dwarfed indeed, and nestling closely 
to the earth in which they so lately rested, yet bright-eyed, and clear- 
coloured, beyond anything ever witnessed in more favoured climes. 
There is an inexplicable charm in this 
‘‘ Spring of the northern land. 
It warms not there by slow degrees, 
With changeful pulse, and uncertain breeze; 
But sudden on the wondering sight 
Bursts forth the beam of living light, 
And instant verdure springs around, 
And magic flowers bedeck the ground.” 
The old English name of Fel-wort, which the Gentian is called, 
evidently takes its name from the bitterness of the whole plant ; though 
with an etymological zeal strongly pervading our ideas, we might, — 
perhaps, be tempted to derive it from fe/, a hill; so peculiarly is the 
Gentian a mountain plant. But, in the words of the poet :— 
‘Why so far excursive, when at hand?” 
For we here have the simpler, and without doubt, the truer signifi- 
cation. Bitterness is the characteristic of the whole plant, and, indeed, 
of the whole family—a resinous bitter, highly increased in Arctic and 
Antarctic climes, which also give so large a size, and so bright a hue to 
the blossoms of the Gentian. This bitterness points out its valuable 
tonic properties ; and we are not surprised to find that not only is the 
Gentian an antiseptic, arresting animal decay, but also that it is a tonic 
of very valuable quality. . 
Foremost in the list of beauty displayed by our English Gentians 
must stand the glorious azure-lipped Gentianella (G. acaulis), so well 
known in our gardens, but whose claims to be indigenous rest on a 
somewhat dubious footing. Such, at least, is the general opinion on the 
subject; but I think that if it be candidly and carefully examined, the 
claim will be found to hold good. Or, if it be not admitted, a very 
large proportion of plants must be expunged from our Floras. 
Scarcely less beautiful, and, if possible, even brighter, is the exquisite 
little Snow Gentian (G. nivalis), which compensates, by the dense and 
moss-like tufts of its blossoms, for its inferiority in point of size to the 
Gentianella. It grows, as its name implies, on our loftiest mountain 
ranges, as Ben Lawers, and Snowdon, but it is far better known as a 
native of the Alps and Pyrenees, than of our land. 
Our remaining blue Gentian is the Marsh Gentian, or, the so-called 
Calathian Violet, which is quite different in character from the others. 
Its flower-stalks grow to a height of six, ten, or even fourteen inches, 
and are branched, and spiked with many blossoms, faintly, cery faintly, 
reminding us of some species of Campanula, though a certain rigidity in 
the outline, the disted and somewhat spiral markings of its many 
foldings, and the beautiful green tinting displayed on the exterior of its 
throat, serve to distinguish it, even at a distance. Unlike the two last- 
named species, the Marsh Gentian is found in many accessible localities, 
abounding in certain districts in moist meadow land ; as, for instance, 
in Norfolk, Lancashire, Cheshire, &c. 
Our other Gentians are purple; and, though beautiful little plants, 

