along rivers and swamps, and command attention by their large, showy flowers 

 and glossy green leaves clustered on the ends of the branches. Some of the 

 species keep their leaves throughout the year, while others are deciduous. 

 The branch habit is generally open and straggling, although some species have 

 shapely outlines. Magnolias stand some frost, but long periods of severe 

 cold are detrimental. 



There formerly stood near Charleston, South Carolina, a stately magnolia 

 which was known as the Magnolia Council Tree. It was under this tree in 

 1780 that council was taken with the people of Charleston by General Lincoln. 

 They were told that the enemy had been strongly reenforced and that further 

 defence of the city seemed hopeless. He was prevailed upon to stay, but was 

 forced to surrender three weeks later. This tree was felled in 1849 by a farmer 

 for firewood. 



LAUREL-LEAVED MAGNOLIA 



The laurel-leaved magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), also called Bull 

 Bay, is a well known tree of splendid appearance which is widely known as 

 an ornamental tree. It is the most magnificent of the broad-leaved ever- 

 greens of the Southern States, where it reaches a height of eighty feet. The 

 growth is slow but erect, and at maturity the crown reaches such a size as to 

 render the tree suitable only for wide streets, even though for years, owing to 

 its slow growth, it may appear to be inadequate. The chief drawback to its 

 use for street and avenue planting is the continuous litter which it makes. 



The laurel-leaved magnolia has large, leathery, glossy, green leaves which 

 form a heavy mantle throughout the year. The great attraction of the tree 

 is its lemon-scented waxen white flowers which are six to ten inches broad. 

 In the spring this magnolia presents a striking picture with its many hundreds 

 of these showy flowers. Just before the bud matures to a perfect flower it has a 

 beautiful oval figure resembling a half opened rosebud. In a few hours the large 

 petals unfold into a flower in the center of which is a small cone of delicate 

 green shade. No bloom of any tree is so large and fragrant, yet so delicate 

 and beautiful. After the flowers are gone a cone develops with seeds the size 

 and shape of beans. A perfume is made from these seeds which possesses 

 the same sweet, delicate scent as the flower. 



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