1877 J 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



35 



ries of that strange tree in the Woodlands Ceme- 

 tery ; it is a Zelkova Crensta. The Zelkova is a 

 native of the shore of the Caspian Sea. It seems 

 that William Hamilton, who lived at the begin- 

 ning of this century, was a great lover and culti- 

 vator of trees. Between 1802 and 1805 he had 

 for gardener, Frederick Pursh, one of the fathers 

 of American Botany ; and it is not improbable 

 that Pursh got these trees from Europe, as he 

 was a German, and planted them. This would 

 make them all the more interesting, and I hope, 

 if occasion offers that you will mention to the 

 authorities that these trees are of great vak;e and 

 interest, and must be protected and looked after. 

 I don't know of any other specimens anywhere 

 in the United States —certainly there are none in 

 this part of the country." 



These trees will be cared for and preserved in 

 the Woodlands. What is more important is, that 

 they should be secured to our country by propa- 

 gation. If seed should appear next Fa]l,they will 

 be gathered. In the meantime grafting should 

 be attempted. Mr. Sargent is trying it at Cam- 

 bridge, on English elms. I invite gardeners to 

 get cuttings and try their success. The Wood- 

 lands Company are attempting nothing in that 

 way, the lot holders supplying all trees, etc., 

 needed ; but in the Fairmount Park I shall ask 

 Chas. H. Miller and Russell Thayer,officers of the 

 Commission, to endeavor to grow them in the 

 Park Gardens, where w'e shall aim to make grow 

 every tree that will endure our climate, and will 

 plant with a view both to artistic effect and the 

 study of botany. 



It may be of interest to your readers to be re- 

 minded that after Bartram's on the Schuylkill, 

 and Marshall's Garden, at Marshallton, four 

 miles west of West Chester, the Woodlands ranked 

 third in time of the important gardens of Penn- 

 sylvania. There are now in it many self-sown 

 forest trees, and many exotic and American 

 trees planted by Hamilton. Thirty-five years 

 ago I bought the remains of Duke's Garden, on 

 Township Line, consisting of a fine variety of 

 oaks, besides other trees, and these now afford 

 me a varied supply of fruit for the Park. These 

 and the Park, are intended to be a supply of 

 tree-seeds to nurserymen and others. The Park, 

 in this way, will fulfil its obligations to the spirit 

 of the legacies of Michaux and Cresson, as Avell 

 as by supplying trees within the terms of their 

 wills. 



[This remarkable discovery is, as Mr. Price 

 says, one of the events of the Centennial year. 



It is many years since the writer of this saw the 

 tree. It was then very large, and, the leaves out 

 of reach, was taken for some garden variety of 

 the English elm. In regard to its name, which 

 was given to it by Spach, we believe the best 

 European botanists regard it as not distinct 

 enough from Abelicea which is perhaps the name 

 to be adopted.— Ed. G. M.] 



MAGNOLIAS. 



BY PHILADELPHIA. 



I have from time to time noticed in the 

 Monthly and in other magazines, that there seems 

 a difficulty in successfully transplanting magno- 

 lias. This arises in many cases from its being 

 done at the wrong time, which is the Fall months. 

 Many trees with fleshy roots, the magnolias es- 

 pecially, should only be transplanted in the 

 Spring, or there is risk of losing them. At this 

 time they succeed just as well as any other tree, 

 and as they have generally a good lot of small 

 roots, large planters are as successful with them 

 then as desired. The most common kinds planted 

 around Philadelphia are the M. tripetala, M. 

 acuminata, and M. macrophylla, of the larger or 

 tree kinds. Of the shrub ones we meet the of- 

 tenest M. purpurea, M. Soulangeana, M. con- 

 spicua, M. glauca, and M. gracilis. Many 

 grand old specimens of M. tripetala can be 

 found on old residences at West Philadelphia 

 and at Germantown in Philadelphia. It seems 

 to have been the first kind to be largely planted, 

 and the fine specimens of younger trees in more 

 recently laid out places, show it to be as popular 

 to-day as ever. A few years ago there were 

 some beautiful specimens at Laurel Hill Ceme- 

 tery, and no doubt they are there to-day, in com- 

 pany with the other choice trees to be found in 

 that favored spot. The M. acuminata seems to 

 have been overlooked by the early planters, or it 

 was not so accessible. It grows to a large tree 

 and is unsuited for many places where the M. 

 tripetala may be planted. Yet it makes a most 

 shapely tree, and for shade or ornament, whene 

 there is room for it, it should be planted. The 

 M. macrophylla is still more rare, though here 

 and there a large tree of it is met with. It, like 

 the last named, grows to a good size, and with its 

 very large leaves is very ornamental. There are 

 a few other large growing Magnolias, but I am 

 writing only of those most common here as old 

 specimens. The M. conspicua and M. Soulange- 

 ana take a place between the tree and the shrub 



