270 THE NURSERY. [MARCH. 



The Franklinia alatamaha, of Bartram, is a most charming 

 plant, and very deservedly worthy of cultivation : it may be propa- 

 gated in the same manner as the Calicanthus ; as may also, all the 

 family of Gordonia's, which are very ornamental shrubs. 



Rhus or Sumach. 



The various kinds of Rhus or Sumach, may be propagated by- 

 suckers, layers, or seeds. The seeds, if preserved in sand, and 

 sown early in March, will rise freely the same season, and, when 

 one or two years old, may be transplanted into nursery-rows, and 

 having had there two years growth, may be planted where intended 

 to remain. 



The Cork-Tree. 



The Quercus Suber, or Cork-tree, may be cultivated with good 

 success in the southern states, and consequently deserves to be no- 

 ticed among other articles of great national importance. It is a na- 

 tive of the south of Europe, and the northern parts of Africa. At 

 present there are considerable woods of them, between Rome and 

 Naples, between Pisa and Leghorn, and also in Spain, Portugal, and 

 the south of France. 



The uses of the cork are well known amongst us, by sea and land, 

 for its resisting both water and air : the fishermen who use nets, 

 and all who deal in liquors, cannot do well without it. Some per- 

 sons prefer it to leather for the soles of their shoes, being light, 

 dry, and resisting moisture ; whence the Germans name it Pan- 

 tojfel-holts, or Slipper-wood ; it was first applied to that purpose by 

 the Grecian ladies, whence they were called light-footed. The poor 

 people in Spain, and othtr parts of the south of Europe, lay planks 

 of it by their bed-side to tread on ; as great persons use Turkey 

 and Persian carpets ; they also employ it for bee-hives. For this 

 last purpose, they roll the bark into a cylinder, or into a conical 

 form, and it answers the end extremely well. It is also used for 

 making cork-jackets, which have been found eminently useful for 

 mariners, passengers at sea, and for all those who resort to bathing 

 places, for the benefit of their health ; as such will enable the most 

 timorous, to s v/im with perfect safety. 



Of the cork-tree, there are two or three varieties ; one with 

 broad leaves, a second with narrow leaves, both evergreen, and one 

 or two which cast their leaves in autumn ; but the broad-leaved 

 evergreen kind, is the most common, and said to produce the best 

 cork. The leaves of this are entire, about two inches long, and an 

 inch and a quarter broad, with a little down on their under sides, 

 having very short foot-stalks : they continue green through the 

 winter, and generally fall off just before the new leaves come out; 

 so that the trees arc often bare, for a short time. The acorns are 

 very like those of our common white oak. 



The exterior bark is the cork, which is taken from the tree every 

 eight or ten years ; but there is besides an interior bark, which 

 nourishes thsm, so that the stripping off the outer coat is so far 



