226 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



not grow naturally within 100 or 150 miles of the sea- 

 coast ; and the Tulip tree may be considered as in some 

 measure supplying their place in the middle Atlantic 

 states. West of the Connecticut river, and south of the 

 sources of the Hudson, this fine tree may be often seen 

 reaching in warm and deep alluvial soils 80 or 90 feet in 

 height. But in the western states, where indeed the 

 growth of forest trees is astonishingly vigorous, this tree 

 far exceeds that altitude. The elder Michaux mentions 

 several which he saw in Kentucky, that were fifteen and 

 sixteen feet in girth ; and his son confirms the measure- 

 ment of one, three miles and a half from Louisville, which, 

 at five feet from the ground, was found to be twenty-two 

 feet and six inches in circumference, with a corresponding 

 elevation of 130 feet. 



The foliage is rich and glossy, and has a very peculiar 

 form ; being cut off, as it were, at the extremity, and 

 slightly notched and divided into two-sided lobes. The 

 breadth of the leaves is six or eight inches. The flowers, 

 which are shaped like a large tulip, are composed of six 

 thick yellow petals, mottled on the inner surface with red 

 and green. They are borne singly on the terminal shoots, 

 have a pleasant, slight perfume, and are very showy. 

 The seed-vessel, which ripens in October, is formed of a 

 number of scales surrounding the central axis in the form 

 of a cone. It is remarkable that young trees under 30 or 

 35 feet high, seldom or never perfect their seeds. 



Whoever has once seen the Tulip tree in a situation 

 where the soil was favorable to its free growth, can 

 never forget it. With a clean trunk, straight as a 

 column, for 40 or 50 feet, surmounted by a fine, ample 

 summit of rich green foliage, it is, in our estimation; 



