6 ON THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF MAGNOLIA. 



the shape of a regular pyramid. Those who have seen this tree 

 in its native soil, blooming with its large white fragrant flowers 

 disposed amidst the rich foliage of the tree, agree in considering 

 it one of the most beautiful productions of the vegetable kingdom. 

 In Carolina it blossoms in May, and the seeds are ripe in October- 

 In its native climate it grows only in cool shady places, where the 

 soil is composed of brown mould, and is loose, deep, and fertile. 

 The most northern point in which this tree passes the winter in 

 the open air, is about Nantes, in lat. 47 c 13' ; but it begins to 

 bear ripe fruit about Grenoble, in lat. 45°. In England the Mag- 

 nolia grandiflora is more injured by being planted in an ungenial 

 soil than from the severity of the climate ; the fact is, the soil 

 should be that above described, but not an insulated portion, as is 

 mostly the case in practice, by digging a hole and supplying it to 

 the plant merely to that extent, whereas it should be general over 

 a large extent of surface, so as to affect the atmosphere by its 

 peculiar exhalations, thus acting on the leaves as well as on the 

 roots. The Magnolia grandiflora was introduced into England 

 about 1731. 



Magnolia cordata, Heart-leaved Cucumber Tree, in its native 

 soil of the banks of the river Savannah, in Upper Georgia, attains 

 to forty and fifty feet in height, and from twelve to fifteen inches 

 in diameter. The leaves are from five to six inches in length 

 and from three to five in width. The flowers, which appear in 

 April, are yellow, and are nearly four inches in diameter. The 

 tree is very hardy and ornamental. Introduced into England in 

 1801. 



Magnolia tripetalte, Umbrella Tree, is found in soils deep and 

 fertile in the northern parts of New York, and is common on some 

 of the islands of the river Susquehanna. Near the great swamps 

 of South Carolina and Georgia, it is almost invariably acconrpa- 

 nied by the Magnolia grandiflora and Swamp Chesnut Oak. It 

 is of humbler growth than the M. grandiflora, seldom attaining to 

 thirty-five feet in height, with a diameter of six inches. The 

 leaves are eighteen or twenty inches long, and seven or eight 

 broad. The flowers are white, and seven or eight inches in dia- 

 meter. The fruit is four or five inches long, and two inches in 

 diameter. The tree is highly ornamental, and very hardy. In- 

 troduced into England in \~")2. 



