6;6 



MAGNOLIA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



MAGNOLIA. 



is a delightful sub-evergreen shrub, with 

 leathery leaves, bluish-green above and 

 silvery below. The flowers are globular 

 in shape, very fragrant, opening of a 

 rich cream colour and gradually acquiring 

 a pale apricot tint with age. In a wild 

 state this species occurs in swamps and 

 attains a height of 20 ft. It is hardy and 

 easily grown in Britain in peat soil. 



M. grandiflora, the great Laurel Mag- 

 nolia of the southern United States, is 

 in England best treated as a wall-plant ; 

 under these conditions it thrives well and 

 flowers freely. In order to form some 

 idea of the beauty of this species it is 

 necessary to see it in large symmetrical 

 stately trees in the west of France, 

 where climatic conditions obtain which 

 more nearly approach those of its native 

 habitats. A correspondent in the West 



Magnolia grandiflora. 



of England writes to The Garden as to 

 the culture of this plant : " At one time 

 it was thought necessary to protect the 

 trees with mats during the winter, 

 but this practice, which necessitated re- 

 stricting the growth considerably, has 

 largely ceased, and the trees in some 

 instances have attained a very great 

 height. For instance, there is one 

 under my charge that is now fully 50 ft. 

 high. The bole of the stem is slightly 

 over a yard in circumference. In some 

 seasons several scores of blooms are 

 borne by this tree, but during the winters 

 of 1891 and 1892 many of the more ex- 

 posed points were badly injured by frosts, 

 and the bloom lessened in quality accord- 

 ingly. A very exposed position is not 

 suitable for this heavy-foliaged tree, and 



shelter from cold winds is desirable. 

 Where the evergreen Magnolia does best is 

 in the nooks between bay windows or ir- 

 regular fronts of dwelling-houses, but- 

 tresses on extra high walls also affording a 

 good shelter. The best instance of what can 

 be done in the way of clothing extra high 

 yet sheltered walls with evergreen mag- 

 nolias is to be seen at Canford Manor, 

 Wimborne, Dorset, while there are also 

 several fine specimens against high walls 

 at Ashton Court, near Bristol. It is quite 

 useless to plant them in a tiny hole, but 

 the site should be well prepared by 

 trenching or forking peat and leaf soil 

 freely into common garden soil, or, better 

 still, fresh loam, a space not less than 3 ft. 

 by 30 in. being prepared for each tree. 

 Once the trees have attained a good size, 

 no further trouble need be taken with the 

 roots, as they are quite capable of foraging 

 for themselves. In planting, it is advis- 

 able to moisten and then slightly loosen 

 the ball of soil, some of the roots being 

 spread out. During the first summer the 

 soil about the roots should be examined 

 occasionally and watered thoroughly when 

 dry. The tops branch naturally, and all 

 that need be done is to spread them out 

 thinly, and to keep the growths secured 

 to the walls or trellis. In after years the 

 strongest branches will require to be kept 

 to the walls by means of strips of leather 

 and strong nails, the side shoots being 

 tied to these with osier twigs. They ought 

 not to be very closely trained, or so much 

 so as to present a painfully neat appear- 

 ance, but if the branches or shoots are 

 left too long the strong winds may break 

 them off." 



M. hypoleuca. This is the wood 

 commonly used by the Japanese in the 

 manufacture of objects to be lacquered; 

 it is preferred for sword sheaths, and the 

 charcoal made from it is used for polish- 

 ing lac. In the southern part of Yesso it 

 is abundant in the forests, and forms fine 

 trees 60 ft. or more in height, with a trunk 

 diameter of 2 ft. The leaves are I ft. or 

 more long, and 6 or 7 in. wide, dark green 

 and smooth above, and clothed with 

 white hairs beneath. The flowers are 

 creamy-white in colour, deliciously fra- 

 grant, and when fully expanded measure 

 6 or 7 in. across, the brilliant scarlet fila- 

 ments forming a striking contrast to the 

 petals. There are no large specimens 

 as yet in this country, but as the species 

 thrives well in the north-eastern United 

 States, it is fair to assume that it will do 

 well in Britain. 



M. Kobus, a Japanese species, grown 

 in the United States under the name of 



