WOOLLY-FLOWERED GORDONIA. 53 



This tree seems first to have been recorded by Catesby, and was soon after 

 described by ElUs, in the "Philosophical Transactions," and figured there, as 

 well as in Catesby's "Carolina." It was introduced into England, in about 

 1768, by Benjamin Bewick ; but it has never been very successfully cultivated, 

 apparently from neglecting to imitate its natural habitat. The largest plants in 

 England are at Purser's Cross, at White Knight's, in some of the London nurse- 

 ries, and a few others. No plants, as yet, have exceeded twenty feet in height. 

 In the vicinity of New York, Philadelphia, and other places, this tree is planted 

 in gardens, and succeeds well, with some slight protection during winter. 



Soil and Situation. In the natural habitat of this species, the vegetable mould 

 is often not more than three or four inches deep, and reposes upon a bed of bar- 

 ren sand ; yet its growth is surprisingly luxuriant. A swampy soil, and a low, 

 sheltered situation appear to be the most congenial to its growth. In preparing 

 an artificial soil, either for this species or the Gordonia pubescens, it should be 

 composed of peat, or leaf-mould, and sand ; and it should be so circumstanced, 

 as always to be kept moist, without having the surface alternately moistened by 

 the watering-pot, and dried by the sun. In order to do this, a considerable mass 

 of soil ought to be brought together, and placed in an excavation, on a retentive 

 substratum, in a low situation. During summer, water ought to be supplied 

 from below, rather than from the surface, in order that the degree of moisture 

 may be maintained as uniformly as possible. This may be effected by laying 

 the bottom of the foundation or substratum of broken stone or coarse gravel, to 

 which water can be supplied through a shaft, or tube, communicating with the 

 surface. Such a preparation is well worthy of the expense, in order to insure 

 the growth of these species, as well as the Magnolia glauca, and other plants, 

 requiring a similar situation. 



Propagation and Culture. In the British nurseries, this species is generally 

 propagated by layers ; but sometimes seeds are imported for the purpose. These 

 require to be sown on peat soil, kept moist and shaded ; and, for this purpose, a 

 covering of moss (sphagnum) is thought desirable, as the seeds which drop 

 from the plants in their native habitats, only germinate successfully in this sub- 

 stance. 



Projierties and Uses. The wood of the Gordonia lasianthus is extremely light, 

 a cubic foot of which, when dry, does not weigh more than twenty pounds. In 

 trunks of these trees, which exceed fifteen inches in diameter, four-fifths of the 

 wood is heart. It is of a rosy, or mahogany hue, and of a fine, silky texture, 

 which render it very proper for the inside of furniture, though the cypress is gene- 

 rally preferred. When seasoned, it is exceedingly brittle, and rapidly decays 

 when exposed to the alternations of moisture and dryness. The bark may be 

 taken ofi" this tree during thr^e months of the year, which shows that the sap is 

 in vigorous motion a much longer period than it is in most other trees. The 

 value of the bark, in tanning, compensates, in some measure, for the uselessness 

 of the Avood, for which purpose it has been employed in times past, throughout 

 the maritime parts of the southern states and Florida. Although this branch of 

 industry was never so extensively practised in the southern as in the northern 

 parts of the United States, the regions where this tree abounds do not atford a 

 sufficient quantity of bark, proper for tanning, to supply the wants of the inhab- 

 itants. Hence, nearly all the leather, and articles manufactured therefrom, con- 

 sumed in the southern states, are carried from the north. A bark, suitable for 

 the purpose of tanning, is more valuable in the United States, than at first sight 

 might be supposed. Although there are a great variety of oaks, and many of 

 the species profusely multiplied, yet there are but a very few of them that are 

 sufficiently rich in tannin to be worth using. 



