30 Commercial Gardening 



Magnolia. This genus contains several fine flowering trees or shrubs, 

 mostly deciduous, but evergreen in such as glauca and grandiflora, the 

 latter being well known for its large shining-green Laurel-like leaves and 

 huge white flowers in summer. The deciduous kinds most largely grown 

 for sale include acuminata, the North American "Cucumber Tree", 

 30-80 ft. high, with oblong pointed leaves, 6-12 in. long, and yellowish- 

 green flowers; Campbelli, North India, with oval lance-shaped leaves and 

 pale-rose and crimson flowers; conspicua (Yulan), one of the best-known 

 Chinese kinds with obovate leaves and large erect fragrant white flowers 

 produced on bare branches from February to April and later. There are 

 several varieties, such as Soulangeana (fig. 429), white and purple; Lennei, 

 rich purple; Alexandrina; and others. M. Fraseri (auriculata), large 

 leaves, 1 ft. long, lobed at base, and white flowers; hypoleuca, large 



creamy- white flowers; macro- 

 phylla, leaves 1-3 ft. long, 

 flowers white with purple 

 blotch at base of petals; obo- 

 vata, 5-6 ft., flowers white 

 within, purple outside; parvi- 

 flora, flowers globular, white 

 tinted rose; salicifolia, 15-20 

 ft., with Willow -like leaves 

 and white six-petalled flowers; 

 stellata (Halleana), 5 ft., with 

 white starry flowers in Feb- 



m g .m.-Magnoiia souiangeana ruai T and March; Umbrella 



(tripetala), white; and Wat- 

 soni, creamy white. Magnolias are usually increased by layering, but 

 also from seeds, cuttings, and by grafting on stocks of acuminata or 

 Umbrella. Some kinds are rather tender. 



Morus (Mulberry). Three species alba, nigra, and rubra are stocked 

 in nurseries, and are good for fruiting or ornamental purposes. The White 

 and Black Mulberries are natives of the East, but the Red Mulberry (rubra) 

 comes from the United States, where it attains a height oT 70 ft. Increased 

 by layers, or cuttings of the half-ripened shoots. 



Myrtus communis (MYRTLE). There are many varieties of the Common 

 European Myrtle, differing chiefly in the length and width of the leaves, 

 but all are beautiful evergreen shrubs with masses of white blossoms and 

 long stamens during the summer months, often followed by dark-purple 

 edible berries. They are only hardy in the very mildest parts of the 

 kingdom. The narrow-leaved form is grown as a pot plant under glass, 

 and in the form of miniature mop-headed standards sell readily. All 

 kinds are readily increased by cuttings inserted in water or moist gritty 

 soil during the summer months. A compost of sandy loam and peat is 

 best. M. Ugni, from Chili, is a fine shrub with large red or black berries, 

 but too tender for the open air. 



