24 



ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



is quite distinct from that of all the other varieties. The species sold in 

 the nurseries as the common broad-leaved MagnoUa grandiflora is fre- 

 quently raised from American, French, or Italian seeds ; and, hence, the 

 plants, though tiie}' grow freely, do not flower for 20 or 30 years after beina 

 planted out. For this reason, when it is desired to have plants of the 

 Magnolia grandiflora wliich will flower early, those plants which have been 

 raised by layers from flowering trees ought to have the preference ; or the 

 Exmouth, or some other variety, should be made choice of, because the 

 varieties are always raised irom layers. 



In its native country, M. grandiflora is a tree varying from 60 ft. to 

 100 ft., or upwards, in height; but in Europe, except in some situations in 

 Spain and Italy, and a few in the South of England, it is chiefly to be 

 considered as a wall tree. 



34. Magnolirt grandifl^a. 



A deep sandy loam, dry at bottom, and enriched with vegetable mould or 

 heath soil, seems to suit all the varieties of this species. When these are 

 to be trained against a wall, any aspect may be chosen, except, perhaps, the 

 north-east. To display the flowers to the greatest advantage, to a spectator 

 walking in a direction nearly parallel to the wall, the ground plan of the 

 latter should be curvilinear, by which means a dii'ect or front view of a 

 considerable portion would be brought before him. In the London nur- 

 series, propagation is generally effected by forming stools either in warm 

 situations in the open air, to be protected during winter, or in cold-pits. 

 The shoots are laid down in autumn, and require two years to become 

 sufficiently rooted for separation ; they are then potted, and kept in pits 

 or under glass during winter, and set in the open air, in a shady place, 

 during summer, till wanted for final planting. M. grandiflora is also occa- 

 sionally raised from American seeds. In planting, the ball should be care- 

 fully broken by the hand, and the roots spread out in every direction, anil 

 covered with heath mould, or a mixture of leaf mould and sandy loam. The 



