MAGNOLIA. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. MAGNOLIA. 561 



Other seedling forms or slight varieties of 

 the Yulan are M. Alexandrina, M. cyathi- 

 formis, M. speciosa, M. spectabilis, M. 

 superba, M. triumphans, and M. Yulan 

 grandis. 



M. DELAVAYI. A native of Yunnan, 

 where it is plentiful in the mountains at 

 an altitude of 5500 to 7000 feet above 

 sea-level. On poor soil it forms a bush 

 8 feet or so high, but in rich soil it reaches 

 a height of 30 feet. It has magnificent 

 foliage, for the larger leaves are each from 

 10 to 13 inches long and up to 7 inches 

 wide, with stout stalks 2 to 3 inches in 

 length, and remarkable for their thick 

 texture and rich colouring, the dark green 

 with a silvery reverse, and the younger 

 foliage a glaucous bloom. Like other 

 Magnolias, it should only be planted in 

 warm, well-drained ground. Soil of a 

 light, loamy character is quite suitable, 

 but when peat can be procured it is advis- 

 able to place a little about the roots at 

 planting time. 



M. FRASERI (Eraser's Magnolia).- 

 Native of the southern United States, 

 recognised by its green spathulate leaves, 

 measuring about 8 inches to i foot in 

 length, and about 3 or 4 inches across at 

 the widest part, the flowers, 3 or 4 inches 

 in diameter, are creamy-white in colour, 

 and appear later than those of any other 

 cultivated species. 



M. GLAUCA (Laurel Magnolia). Of the 

 eastern United States, is a delightful sub- 

 evergreen shrub, with leathery leaves, 

 bluish-green above and silvery below. 

 The flowers are globular in shape, very 

 fragrant, opening of a rich cream colour, 

 and gradually acquiring a pale apricot 

 tint with age. In a wild state this species 

 occurs in swamps and attains a height of 

 20 feet. It is hardy and easily grown in 

 Britain in peat soil. 



M. GRANDIFLORA. The great Laurel 

 Magnolia of the southern United States is, 

 in England, best treated as a wall plant ; 

 under these conditions it thrives well and 

 flowers freely. A correspondent in the 

 west of England has written to The Garden 

 as to the culture of this plant : "At one 

 time it was thought necessary to protect 

 the trees with mats during the winter, but 

 this practice has largely ceased, and the 

 trees in some instances have attained a 

 very great height. For instance, there is 

 one under my charge that is now fully 

 50 feet high. The bole of the stem is 

 slightly over a yard in circumference. In 

 some seasons several scores of blooms are 

 borne by this tree, but during the winters 

 of 1891 and 1 892 many of the more exposed 

 points were badly injured by frosts, and 

 the bloom lessened in quality accordingly. 

 A very exposed position is not suitable for 

 this heavy-foliaged tree, and shelter from 



cold winds is desirable. Where the ever- 

 green Magnolia does best is in the nooks 

 between bay windows or irregular fronts 

 of dwelling-houses, buttresses on extra 

 high walls also affording a good shelter. 

 The best instance of what can be done in 

 the way of clothing extra high yet shel- 

 tered walls with evergreen Magnolias is to 

 be seen at Canford Manor, Wimborne, 

 Dorset, while there are also several fine 

 specimens against high walls at Ashton 

 Court, near Bristol. The site should be 

 well prepared by trenching or forking peat 

 and leaf soil freely into common garden 

 soil, or, better still, fresh loam, a space not 

 less than 3 feet by3o inches being prepared 

 for each tree. Once the trees have 

 attained a good size, no further trouble 

 need be taken with the roots. The tops 

 branch naturally, and all that need be 

 done is to spread them out thinly, and to 

 keep the growths secured to the walls or 

 trellis. They ought not to be closely 

 trained, but if the branches or shoots are 

 left too long the strong winds may break 

 them off. 



M. HYPOLEUCA. This is the wood used 

 by the Japanese for lacquer, for sword 

 sheaths, etc., and the charcoal made from 

 it is used for polishing lac. In the southern 

 part of Yesso it is abundant in the forests, 

 and forms fine trees, 60 feet or more in 

 height, with a trunk diameter of 2 feet. 

 The leaves are I foot or more long, and 

 6 or 7 inches wide, dark green and smooth 

 above, and clothed with white hairs 

 beneath. The flowers are creamy-white 

 in colour, deliriously fragrant, and when 

 fully expanded measure 6 or 7 inches 

 across, the brilliant scarlet filaments form- 

 ing a striking contrast to the petals. 



M. KOBUS. Is hardy in the south of 

 England. The leaves are 6 or 7 inches 

 long by about half as much in width, the 

 flowers 4 to 5 inches in diameter, creamy- 

 white. Professor Sargent, who found the 

 species growing in the forests of Hok- 

 kaido, in Japan, describes it as a tree 

 70 to 80 feet high, with a tall straight 

 trunk 2 feet in diameter. He says the 

 flowers appear before the leaves, about the 

 middle of May. Japan. 



M. MACROPHYLLA. This, though some- 

 what tender in the young plants, is worth 

 growing simply for its beautiful leaves, 

 which are green above and clothed with 

 white hairs beneath, and attain a length 

 of upwards of 3 feet. The open bell- 

 shaped fragrant flowers are white with a 

 purple blotch at the base of the inner 

 petals, and measure 8 or 10 inches across. 

 It is a lovely flowering tree on warm soils 

 in the southern counties of England, as 

 may be seen at Claremont. 



M. OBOVATA. Dwarf-growing bush, 

 hardy in the south of England, and bears 

 freely its purple, sweet-scented flowers. 

 This species has a number of synonyms, 



2 N 



