CHAP. III. -MAGNOLI4 CE. MAGNOLIA. 263 
is the most remarkable for the majesty of its form, the magnificence of its 
foliage, and the beauty of its flowers. It is first seen in the lower part of 
North Carolina, near the river Neuse, in the latitude of 35° ; proceeding from 
this point, it is found in the maritime parts of the southern states and of the 
Floridas, and as far up the Mississippi as Natches, 300 miles aboye New Or- 
leans, which embraces an extent of 2000 miles of territory. The French of 
Louisiana call it /aurier tulipier. It grows only in cool and shady places, 
where the soil, composed of brown mould, is loose, deep, and fertile. These 
tracts lie contiguous to the great swamps, which are found on the borders of 
the rivers, and in the midst of the pine barrens, or form themselves a part of 
these swamps; but they are never seen in the long and narrow marshes called 
branch swamps, which traverse the barrens in every direction, and in which 
the miry soil is shallow, with a bed of white quartzose sand beneath. (Syd. 
Amer., p. 211.) 
History. The precise date of the introduction of M. grandiflora into Britain 
is uncertain. In the Hortus Kewensis it is stated, on the authority of Catesby, 
that it was cultivated before 1737 by Sir John Colliton, at Exeter; and, as 
far as is known, the tree there, which is the parent of all those varieties bear- 
ing the name of M. g. exoniénsis, was the first which was raised or planted in 
England, and, in all probability, im Europe. This tree, a notice of which 
will be found in the Gardener’s Magazine, vol. xi. p. 70., was cut down, through 
mistake, about the year 1794. It had previously been much disfigured from 
the great number of layers that had been taken from it ; and, though the trunk 
was 18 in. in diameter, its height was not more than 5ft. It had been sur- 
rounded by a scaffolding for many years, on which tubs were placed to receive 
the branches laid down for propagation, The tree seems to have been rented 
by different gardeners, who at first sold the layers at five guineas each; but 
the price gradually fell to half a guinea. From the source of supply being in 
this part of England, it will readily be conceived that the largest specimens 
are in Deyonshire. None of these, however, of which we have been able to 
obtain dimensions, exceed 30 ft. in height. Collinson mentions that on return- 
ing to Goodwood, after nine years’ absence, he found two plants of Magnolia 
grandiflora in flower (see p.55.); and that he had a plant, raised by himself 
from seed, which flowered for the first time in 1760, when twenty years old. 
The history of the introduction of the M. grandiflora into France is thus 
given by M. Merlet de la Boulaye, professor of botany at Angers, in the new 
edition of Du Hamel: —“ There is at Maillardiére, distant about 5 miles 
from the town of Nantes, a fine magnolia, which was brought from the banks. 
of the Mississippi in 1732, and planted ina poor soil. It grew there more than 
thirty years with®ut any care having been taken of it; as the marine officer 
who brought it died soon after he had planted it, and his heirs did not trouble 
themselves about a tree which had as yet produced them nothing, and ap- 
peared to them merely a variety of the Cérasus Laurocérasus. M. Bonami, 
a physician of Nantes, and professor of botany there, who published a Flora 
of this district, recognised, in 1758, this beautiful tree to be the Magnolia 
grandiflora of Linnzus; and, at the meeting of the states of Bretagne, which 
was held at Nantes in September, 1760, he presented to the Princess of 
Rohan-Chabet a fine branch of this magnolia in flower, which became a sub- 
ject of conversation and interest to all there assembled. Louis XV. possessed 
several small plants of the Magnolia grandiflora in his garden of the Petit 
Trianon, but they did not thrive; and, having heard of a magnolia 35 or 40 ft, 
high, which every year was covered with fine flowers of a delicious perfume, 
he sent two of his gardeners to ascertain if it was possible to transport this 
fine tree to Versailles; and, above all, should they do so, if it would be cer- 
tain to grow. They saw the tree; and, being of opinion that it would not 
survive removal, it was suffered to remain in its place. This magnolia was, 
at that time, from 30 ft. to 40 ft. high; but, during the troubles of the civil 
war of La Vendée, it was mutilated, and lost most of its branches. After- 
wards, the burning of the house near which it was planted having damaged its 
fine head, it was treated as an orange tree injured by the frost; that is to say, 
