CRANES BILL, in botany: A genus of the decandria order, belonging to the monodelphia clasps of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 14th order, Grumales. Its characters are these: the flower hath a permanent empalement, composed of five small oval leaves, and five oval or heart-shaped petals, spreading open, which are in some species equal, and in others the upper two are much larger than the three lower. It has ten stamens, alternately longer than each other, but shorter than the petals, and terminated by oblong summits. In the bottom of the flower is situated a five-cornered germen, which is permanent. The flower is succeeded by five seeds, each being wrapped up in the husk of the beak, where they are twisted together at the point, so as to form the resemblance of a stork's beak. There are above 80 species.

The common wild sorts of this plant, and those also which are brought to the curious from the colder climates, are hardy enough, and require little care; but the African species, and the others from hot countries, which make so very beautiful a figure in our greenhouses, require great care in their culture and propagation.

These may be propagated by seed, which should be sown toward the end of March in beds of light earth, and carefully shading them from the sun, and giving them frequent, but gentle waterings, till they are well rooted. The mats with which these beds are covered are to be taken off in gentle showers, and always in the hot weather at nights, that the plants may have the benefit of the dew. They should remain about two months in this bed, by which time they will have taken root. Some pots of about seven inches wide are then to be filled with light earth, and the plants are to be carefully taken up with as much as possible of their own earth about them, and planted feverishly in the middle of these pots; when they are to be set in a shady place, and watered at times till they have taken root. When they are well-rooted, they should be set in a more exposed place to harden them, and should stand out till the middle of October; but when the mornings begin to grow frosty, they must be removed into the greenhouse, and then placed as near the windows as possible, and the windows should be opened upon them till the weather is very cold. During the winter, they must be frequently watered a little at a time, and their dead leaves should be pulled off. They must not stand under the shade of other plants, nor need any artificial heat.

Those who are desirous that their plants should be large and flower soon, sow the seeds on a moderate hot-bed in the spring; when they are come up, they should not be drawn weak, and the pots into which they are transplanted should be plunged into another moderate hot-bed, shading them from the sun till they have taken root, and gradually injuring them to the open air, into which they should be removed in the beginning of June, and placed in a sheltered situation with other exotic plants.

The shrubby African geraniums are commonly propagated by cuttings, which, planted in a shady border, in June or July, will take good root in five or six weeks; and they may then be taken up and planted in separate pots, placing them in the shade till they have taken new root; after which they may be removed into a sheltered situation, and treated as the seedling plants.

Geranium stands recommended as one of the greatest vulneraries and ablergents of the vegetable world, and is highly extolled for its power of stopping profluvia of the menes, and hemorrhages of all kinds. Experience confirms the truth of this, especially among the poor people in the country; and it were to be wished that the plant could be brought into more esteem in the shops, where at present it is disregarde.