NOTES ON SOUTHERN HORTICULTURE. 



the most common sorts of trees, flowers and shrubs, such only as meet with a ready sale; 

 such as Peltisfurmus,[?] Magnolias, Arbor Vities, Cedars, Oleanders, Tallow trees, (intro- 

 duced only within the last few years,) and any quantity of roses. The most beautiful 

 tree I have yet seen in the south, is the Date Palm. It resists the cold Aveather, grows 

 with remarkable rapidity, and yet is rarely planted, or to be found in the nurseries. The 

 largest here, is one standing in an old stable yard, and receives no care or protection. It 

 is supposed to have been planted by the Jesuits some sixty years since. It is from thirty 

 to forty feet in height, and perhaps eighteen inches in diameter. I have seen it in flower, 

 but of course, standing alone, without a male, it bears no fruit. There are one or two 

 others in the city; one is now in sight from my window as I write. Though planted only 

 about twenty years ago, it is thirty feet high, and ten inches in diameter. 



The Mcspilas Japonica has become quite a favorite tree here. The fruit is no addition 

 to our stock, but the tree is beautiful, and withstands the cold even better than the Mag- 

 nolias, native though they are. But after all, no tree is more deservedly a favorite than 

 the Magnolia grandiflora. It is almost the only tree from the woods that is thought 

 worthy of being transplanted into the shrubbery — a great mistake, by the way. In the 

 city during winter, it is rather meagre, and suffers more from tlie cold than it does in the 

 woods. There, however, it is always beautiful. I once traveled up the Mississippi dur- 

 ing the season of its bloom. Occasionally our boat would sweep in sight of a forest of 

 Magnolias, which, covered with their beautiful and fully expanded flowers, presented one 

 of the most beautiful sights I ever witnessed. As we neared the shore, the whole air 

 seemed laden with fragrance, and to add interest to the scene, a flock of bright-winged 

 Paroquets were glancing amid the green foliage and the luxuriant undergrowth of the for- 

 est. The Magnolia glaiica grows freely in the swamps, but it is seldom seen in the gar- 

 dens. It may be considered here, as much an evergreen as the grandiflora. The Sweet 

 Gum is another common tree here, and in my opinion the most beautiful. When it has 

 attained any great size, it is covered with a peculiar corky excrescence on the branches, 

 that, when it sheds its leaves, gives it a singular and not uninteresting appearance. 



The deciduous Cypress is the most common tree of the swamps and woods, but it is 

 rarely applied to any ornamental use, beautiful as it is. Both Loudon and Michaux fall 

 into the error of supposing the timber of this tree to be durable. It decays sooner than 

 that of almost any other tree, and is peculiarly susceptible to the attacks of insects, when 

 employed in the construction of houses. It grows to an enormous size, and presents a 

 remarkable appearance with, (as is almost always the case,) its branches covered with 

 the huge green moss peculiar to this climate. In walking through the forest, one is struck 

 with the singular excrescences called Planter's or Cyprus Knees, that rise in every direc- 

 tion from the roots, from two to five feet in height. They never vegetate. 



I have not been able to find either the Gordonia lasianthus or pubesccns in the nur- 

 series ; nor, indeed, have I found a single nurseryman here that knows them even by name. 

 Yet they are natives of the south, and from their habits of flowering very early, are well 

 Avorthy of any shrubbery. Until it attains great age, the Live Oak is far from being a 

 beautiful tree. A collection of them looks exactly like an old apple orchard. In the spring 

 of the 3"ear, the Water Oak is far more beautiful. Its bright green leaves, which put forth 

 very early, are really beautiful. 



The grape-vine does not produce well here. Higher up, at Natchez, there are several 

 vineyards. The principal grape cultivated is the Scuppernong or Roanoake. It is said 

 ake a palatable wine. In a small yard in Natchez, attached to the residence of 

 Carson, a gentleman of that place, who delights in horticulture, stands what 



