or **BELL-FLOWER**: a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the pentandra class of plants.

Species. Of this genus there are no fewer than 41 species enumerated by botanical writers; but the following are the most worthy of attention. 1. The pyramidalis has thick tuberous roots filled with a milky juice; it sends out strong, smooth, upright stalks, which rise to the height of four feet, garnished with smooth oblong leaves a little indented at the edges. The flowers are produced from the side of the stalks, and are regularly set on for more than half their length, forming a sort of pyramid; these are large, open, and shaped like a bell. The most common colour of the flowers is blue, though some are white, but the former are most esteemed. 2. The decurrens, or peach-leaved bell-flower, is a native of the northern parts of Europe: of this there are some with white, and some with blue flowers, and some with double flowers of both colours. These last have of late been propagated in such abundance as to have almost banished from the gardens those with single flowers. 3. The medium, commonly called Canterbury bell-flower, is a biennial plant, which perishes soon after it has ripened its seeds. It grows naturally in the woods of Italy and Austria; but is cultivated in the British gardens for the beauty of its flowers, which are blue, purple, white, and striped, with double flowers of all the colours. This species hath oblong, rough, hairy leaves, serrated on their edges: from the centre of these rises a stiff, hairy, furrowed stalk, about two feet high, bearing out several lateral branches, garnished with long, narrow, hairy leaves sawed on their edges. From the setting on of these leaves proceed the footstalks of the flower; those which are on the lower part of the stalk and branches diminishing gradually in their length upward, and thereby forming a sort of pyramid. The flowers of this kind are very large, so make a fine appearance. The seeds ripen in September, and the plants decay soon after. 4. The trachelium, with nettle leaves, hath a perennial root, which sends up several stiff hairy stalks having two ribs or angles. These put out a few short side-branches, garnished with oblong hairy leaves deeply sawed on their edges. Toward the upper part of the stalks, the flowers come out alternately upon short trifid foot-stalks having hairy empalements. The colours of the flowers are a deep and pale blue and white, with double flowers of the same; the double-flowered kind only merit a place in gardens. 5. The latifolia, or greatest bell-flower, hath a perennial root, composed of many fleshy fibres that abound with a milky juice. From these arise several strong, round, single stalks, which never put out branches, but are garnished with oval spear-shaped leaves slightly indented on their edges. Towards the upper part of the stalk the flowers come out singly upon short footstalks; their colours are blue, purple, and white. 6. The rapun- Campanula, or rampion, hath roundish flecky roots, which are eatable, and much cultivated in France for salads; some years past it was cultivated in the English gardens for the same purpose, but is now generally neglected. It is a native of Britain; but the roots of the wild sort never grow to half the size of those which are cultivated.

7. The speculum, with yellow eye-bright leaves, is an annual plant with slender stalks rising a foot high, branching out on every side, and garnished with oblong leaves a little curled on their edges; from the wings of the leaves come out the flowers sitting close to the stalks, which are of a beautiful purple inclining to a violet colour. In the evening, they contract and fold into a pentagonal figure; from whence it is by some called viola pentagonia, or five-cornered violet.

8. The hybrida, or common Venus looking-glass. This seldom rises more than six inches high, with a stalk branching from the bottom upward, and garnished with oval leaves sitting close to the stalks, from the base of which the branches are produced, which are terminated by flowers very like the former sort. This was formerly cultivated in the gardens; but since the former kind hath been introduced, it hath almost supplanted this; for the other is a much taller plant, and the flowers larger, though of a less beautiful colour.

9. The canariensis, with an orach leaf and tuberous root, is a native of the Canary islands. It hath a thick flecky root of an irregular form; sometimes running downward like a parsnip, at other times dividing into several knobs near the top; and when any part of the root is broken, there issues out a milky juice at the wound. From the head or crown of the root arise one, two, three, or more stalks, in proportion to the size of the root; but that in the centre is generally larger, and rises higher, than the others. These stalks are very tender, round, and of a pale green; their joints are far distant from each other; and when the roots are strong, the stalks will rise to ten feet high, sending out several lateral branches. At each joint they are garnished with two, three, or four spear-shaped leaves, with a sharp pointed beard on each side. They are of a sea-green; and, when they first come out, are covered lightly with an ash-coloured pounce. From the joints of the stalk the flowers are produced, which are of the perfect bell-shape, and hang downward; they are of a flame-colour, marked with stripes of a brownish red; the flower is divided into five parts; at the bottom of each is seated a nectarium, covered with a white transparent skin, much resembling those of the crown imperish, but smaller. The flowers begin to open in the beginning of October, and there is often a succession of them till March. The stalks decay to the root in June, and new ones spring up in August.

Culture, &c. The first sort is cultivated to adorn halls, and to place before chimneys in the summer when it is in flower, for which purpose there is no plant more proper; for when the roots are strong, they will send out four or five stalks which will rise as many feet high, and are adorned with flowers a great part of their length. When the flowers begin to open, the pots are removed into the rooms, where, being shaded from the sun and rain, the flowers will continue long in beauty; and if the pots are every night removed into a more airy situation, but not exposed to heavy rains, the flowers will be fairer, and continue much longer in beauty. Those plants which are thus treated, are seldom fit for the purpose the following season; therefore a supply of young ones must be annually raised. The plant may be propagated either by dividing the roots or by seeds, but the latter produce the most vigorous and best flowering plants. The seeds must be sown in autumn in boxes or pots filled with light undugged earth, and placed in the open air till the frost or hard rains come on; then they must be placed under a hotbed frame, where they may be sheltered from both; but in mild weather, the glasses should be drawn off every day, that they may enjoy the free air; with this management the plants will come up early in the spring, and then they must be removed out of the frame, placing them first in a warm situation; but, when the season becomes warm, they should be so placed as to have the morning sun only. In September the leaves of the plants will begin to decay, at which time they should be transplanted; therefore there must be one or two beds prepared, in proportion to the number of plants. These beds must be in a warm situation, and the earth light, sandy, and without any mixture of dung. The plants must then be taken out of the pots or cases very carefully, so as not to bruise their roots; for they are very tender, and on being broken the milky juice will flow out plentifully, which will greatly weaken them. These should be planted at about six inches distance each way, with the head or crown of the root half an inch below the surface. If the season proves dry, they must be gently watered three or four days after they are planted; the beds should also be covered with mats in the daytime, but which should be taken off at night to let the dew fall on the plants. Towards the end of November the beds should be covered over with some old tanners bark to keep out the frost; and where there is not conveniency for covering them with frames, they should be arched over with hoops, that in severe weather they may be covered with mats. In the spring the mats must be removed, and, the following summer, the plants kept free from weeds. In autumn the earth should be stirred between them, some fresh earth spread over the beds, and the plants covered in winter as before. In these beds the plants may remain two years, during which time they are to be treated in the manner before directed. The roots will now be strong enough to flower; so, in September they should be carefully taken up, and some of the most promising carefully planted in pots; the others may be planted in warm borders, or in a fresh bed, at a greater distance than before, to allow them room to grow. Those plants which are potted should be sheltered in winter from great rains and hard frosts, otherwise they will be in danger of rotting, or at least will be so weakened as not to flower with any strength the following summer; and those which are planted in the full ground, should have some old tanners bark laid round them to prevent the fruit from getting at the roots. The second, third, fourth, and fifth sorts are so easily propagated by parting the roots, or by seeds, that no particular directions for their culture need be given. The fifth sort, which is cultivated for its excellent roots, may be propagated by seeds, which are to be sown in a shady border; and when the plants are about an inch high, the ground should be hoed as is practised for onions, to cut up the weeds, and thin the plants, Campbell, plants, to the distance of three or four inches; and when the weeds come up again they must be hoed over to destroy them: this, if well performed in dry weather, will make the ground clean for a long time; so that, being three times repeated, it will keep the plants clean till winter, which is the season for eating the roots, when they may be taken up for use as wanted. They will continue good till April, at which time they send out their stalks, when the roots become hard and unfit for use.—The seventh and eighth forts are easily propagated by seeds, which they produce in plenty. If these, and the Venus navelwort, dwarf lychinis, candy-tuft, and other low annual flowers, are properly mixed in the border of the flower-garden, and sown at two or three different seasons, so as to have a succession of them in flower, they will make an agreeable variety. If these seeds are sown in autumn, the plants will flower early in the spring; but if sown in the spring, they will not flower till the middle of June; and if a third sowing is performed about the middle of May, the plants will flower in August; but from these, good seeds must not be expected.—The ninth fort is propagated by parting the roots, which must be done with caution; for if they are broken or wounded, the milky juice will flow out plentifully; and if planted before the wounds are scoured over, it occasions their rotting: therefore when any of them are broken, they should be laid in the greenhouse a few days to heal. These roots must not be too often parted, if they are expected to flower well; for by this means they are weakened. The best time for transplanting and parting their roots is in July, soon after the stalks are decayed. They must not be planted in rich earth, otherwise they will be very luxuriant in branches, and have but few flowers. They succeed best in a light sandy loam, mixed with a fourth part of screened lime-rubbish: when the roots are first planted the pots should be placed in the shade, and unless the season is very dry they should not be watered; for during the time they are inactive, wet is very injurious to them. About the middle of August, the roots will begin to put out fibres; at which time, if the pots are placed under a hot-bed frame, and, as the nights grow cool, covered with the glasses, but opened every day to enjoy the free air, it will greatly forward them for flowering, and increase their strength: when the stalks appear, they must be now and then refreshed with water; but it must not be given too often, nor in too great quantity. The plants thus managed, by the middle of September will have grown to tall as not to be kept any longer under the glass frame; they must, therefore, be removed into a dry airy glass-case, where they may enjoy the free air in mild weather, but screened from the cold. During the winter season they must be frequently refreshed with water, and guarded from frost; and, in the spring, when the stalks begin to decay, the pots should be set abroad in the shade, and not watered.