426 BRECK'S XEW BOOK OP FLOWERS. 



and beauty among the smaller blossoms of the more com- 

 mon trees and shrubs that blossom at that early time, and 

 really fill the beholder with delight. The Chinese White 

 Magnolia (M. conspicua,) is, in effect of its blossoms, the 

 most charming of all Magnolias. The flowers, in color a 

 pure, creamy white, are produced in such abundance, that 

 the tree, when pretty large, may be seen at a great dis- 

 tance. 



"The Chinese name, Gulan, literally, Lily-tree, is an 

 apt and expressive one, as the blossoms are not much un- 

 like those of the White Lily in size and shape, when fully 

 expanded. Among the Chinese poets, they are consid- 

 ered the emblem of candor and beauty." 



"The next most ornamental Chinese Magnolia," he 

 says, " is Soulange's Purple, (Magnolia Soulangiana.} This 

 is a hybrid seedling, raised by the late Chevalier Soulange 

 Bodin, the distinguished French horticulturist. The hab- 

 it of the tree is closely similar to that of the conspicua ; 

 its blossoms, equally numerous, are rather larger, but the 

 outside of the petals is finely tinged with purple. It par- 

 takes of the character of both its parents, having the 

 growth of Magnolia conspicua, and the color of M. pur- 

 purea, (or, indeed, a lighter shade of purple.) Its term 

 of blooming is, also, mid-wny between that of these two 

 species, being about a week later than that of the white, 

 or Gulan Magnolia. It is also perfectly hardy in this lati- 

 tude." The Magnolia pur pur ea is sometimes seen in 

 large gardens about Boston, but fs a little tender. " It is 

 a shrub of six to eight feet high. The blossoms are white 

 within, of a fine dark-lilac or purple on the outside, and 

 quite fragrant, like the others." The flowers begin to 

 open early in May, and continue blooming a number of 

 weeks, or, if in the shade, through most of the summer. 



The same gentleman remarks, that, "If these noble 

 flowering trees have a defect, it is one which is insepar- 



