248 BRECK'S BOOK OF FLOWERS. 



MAGNOLIA. 



" This genus," named for Magnol,. a distinguished botanist in 

 France, contains trees, except M. glauca, which, in the North, 

 ern States, is only a shrub ; all of them beautiful, and some of 

 them the finest and most splendid trees that are known. 



" Magnolia glauca. The most northern boundary of the 

 habitation of this beautiful plant is supposed to be in a shel- 

 tered swamp, near Cape Ann, and not far from the sea. 



" Few ornamental plants are better \vorth the attention of the 

 gardener. Carefully trained, it forms a beautiful little tree. No 

 plant is, at any season and in every condition, more beautiful. 

 The flower, pure white, two or three inches broad, is as beauti- 

 ful and almost as fragrant as the White Lily. The fruit is 

 a cone, about two inches long, covered with scale-like, imbricated 

 ovaries, from which, when mature, escape the scarlet obovate 

 seeds, which, instead of falling at once to the ground, remain 

 some time suspended by a slender thread. The bark of the 

 young shoots is smooth and of a rich apple-green, afterwards 

 becoming of a soft glaucous or whitish color. Before opening, 

 the leaves are enclosed by the stipules, which, falling, leave 

 rings encircling the branch ; when young the leaves are cov- 

 ered with a pubescence, which, beneath, has a silken lustre." 

 (Emerson.} 



Although naturally growing in wet ground, it will flourish 

 in almost any good garden soil, if not exceedingly dry, particu- 

 larly if partially shaded from the sun. It may be propagated by 

 layers, which require two years to root sufficiently, or by 

 seed, if great care is observed. 



Magnolia acuminata. Acuminate-leaved Magnolia. This 

 species attains the size of a large tree in a more southern cli- 

 mate. In the neighborhood of Boston there are handsome 

 specimens of this magnificent tree, but not of a large size. The 

 flowers are very conspicuous, being five or six inches across, 

 of a bluish-white color, produced from May to July. The 



