.MAGNOLIA. 220 



small cucumber ; whence the inhabitants of North Ame- 

 rica call it the cucumber tree. The wood is fine-grained, 

 and orange-coloured. This tree is not very common in 

 the inhabited parts of America. It was cultivated here 

 by Mr. P. Collinson in 1736. 



The Umbrella Magnolia, or Umbrella tree, Magnolia 

 tripetala, grows from sixteen to twenty feet high, the 

 leaves are remarkably large ; from twelve to sixteen 

 inches in length, and five or six in breadth, narrowing to 

 a point at each end ; they are placed in a circular man- 

 ner at the ends of the branches, somewhat like an um- 

 brella ; whence its name. The flowers are composed of 

 ten, eleven, or twelve large oblong white petals ; the 

 outer ones hanging down : the wood is soft and spongy. 

 The leaves drop off early in winter. This tree is fre- 

 quent in Carolina, and is also found in Virginia, and in 

 some parts of Pennsylvania. It was cultivated here in 

 1752. 



Thunberg says that almost every house in Japan has 

 a little piece of ground behind it, adorned with shrubs 

 and flowers ; and that he constantly saw the Magnolia 

 among them. 



The Magnolia is not sufficiently well known in this 

 country to be celebrated as its beauty deserves. Words- 

 worth says, speaking of a traveller 



" He spoke of plants divine and strange 

 That every hour their blossoms change, 



Ten thousand lovely hues ! 

 With budding, fading, faded flowers : 

 They stand the wonder of the bowers 



From morn to evening dews. 



" He told of the magnolia, spread 

 High as a cloud, high overhead ! 

 The cypress and her spire ; 



