I 



1850. 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



23 



I 



It is not in man's nature to be delighted with a 

 monotonous uniformity. A neighbor of ours has, on 

 very small plantation, some sixty different sorts of 

 forest trees. Another neighbor, who has recently 

 built himself a large, costly, ,and commodious house, 

 finished in the most complete and convenient manner 

 outside, and intending to have a comfortable and 

 beautiful home, sent a teamster to the woods and 

 pulled up a number of shabby looking maples to plant 

 on iho side-walk before his door. The contrast is 

 insufferable — annoying to the most common observ- 

 ers tiiat pass along. And this was not economy ; for 

 must likely half of these maples will die and will 

 have to be replaced, and those that happen to live 

 will not in years give either ornament or shade ; but 

 it was not meant to be economy — for the man is of a 

 liberal nature, and particularly so as regards things 

 that pertain to his dwelling, — it was simply a want 

 of tiiste. What a misfortune that people of taste 

 are so apt to be poor and the wealthy so void of taste! 

 But we have not space to dwell more at length on 

 this subject now, and have only touched upon it inci- 

 dentally ; our purpose was to draw attention to the 

 b:.autiful tribe of ISIagnolias — not to describe a long 

 list of species and varieties, but a few of the more 

 d.!sirablo sorts, adapted to our climate and easily 

 o'ltaiued. These are, the Acuminata, Glanca, Tri- 



PK.TBLA, MaCROPHYLLA, CoNSPICUA, PURPUREA, and 

 SoUr.ANGIAXA. 



These are all sufficiently hardy to stand the winter 

 here (43^) without protection. The Acuminata, or 

 Cucumber tree, which is found scattered over all the 

 western portion of this Stats and in most of the West- 

 ern States, is well known to every one who is at all 

 acquainted with forest trees. It abounds on all 

 wooded land on the banks of the Genesee. The finest 

 specimens we have ever seen are on the timbered 

 lands of Gen. Brooks, in Canadea, Allegany county. 

 Many are to be found there full eighty feet high and 

 four feet and upwards in diameter, with clear branch- 

 less trunks till within a few feet of the top. What 

 imposing objects they are ! When grown singly on 

 the lawn the branches are thrown out with great 

 regularity, forming beautiful pyramidal trees. On 

 young trees, and even those of large size if in a vig- 

 orous state on a suitable soil, the foliage is large, 

 eight to ten inches long and half that in diameter. 

 The flowers, which appear in May, are of a pale 

 bluish color, three to four inches in diameter, and 

 slightly odorous. Propagated from seeds that ripen. 



Glauca. This abounds particularly in New Jer- 

 sey, in moist and swampy ground, and is commonly 

 k'uown as the Swamp Laurel. It is a low branch- 

 ing tree, seldom exceeding fifteen to twenty feet in 

 height : the leaves are five or six inches long, of a 

 bright bluish green, and remain fresh until a very 

 late period in the fall. The flowers, which appear 

 in May and June, are white, odorous, and about three 

 inches in diameter. When in flower, this is a beau- 

 tiful tree. Propagated from seed. 



Tripetela, or Umbrella Tree. This is a magnifi- 

 cent tree, abounding principally in Carolina and 

 Georgia. It attains the height of 30 to 40 feet with 

 immense foliage, 18 inches long, and 7 or S broad, 

 and while, sweet scented flowers 7 or 8 inches in 

 diameter, propagated from seed. 



M'jcrophylla, or Large Leaved Magnolia. The 

 immense foliage of this tree gives it quite a tropical 

 mpoarance. In habit it resembles the Tripetela. 

 It seldom exceeds 20 to 30 feet in height. There 



was once a fine little grove of these in the aid Lin- 

 naean Nursery at Flushing, (now in the possession 

 of Messrs. Winter & Co.,) planted by the late W.m. 

 Prince, who did more in his day than any man in 

 America to disseminate this beautiful genus. At 

 one time his nursery contained nearly every species 

 and variety that were to be obtained. This tree is found 

 scattered sparcely over nearly all the Southern States. 

 Its large foliage, grayish bark, and gray silky or 

 velvetty buds distinguish it from all the others. — 

 Flowers in June, 8 to 10 inclies in diameter and quite 

 fragrant. This species has always been scarce and 

 dear in all the nurseries of both this country and 

 Europe. If more attention be given to collecting 

 seeds it might soon be easily enough obtained. 



Conspicua, or Conspicuous Flowering ( Yutuii of 

 the Chinese.) This is a native of China, and held 

 there in the highest rank as an ornamental tree. In 

 this country it ranks as a small tree or large shrub, 

 but nothing can be more beautiful. Its flowers are 

 pure white and appear in May, before the leaves, in 

 the greatest profusion, even on young specimens. 

 There are a few fine examples in this country, one of 

 the finest is on the lawn of A. J. Downing, Esq., at 

 Newburgh, a notice of which he has given in the 

 Horticidturist. The habit of the tree is regular and 

 pyramidal; leaves 5 to 6 inches long and 3 to 4 

 broad. LounoN mentions one at Wormleyburj', 

 England, that in 1835 produced 6000 blossoms. It 

 is usually propagated by inarching on the acuminata 

 or purpurea — on the latter its growth is much dwarfed. 



Purpurea, or Purple Flowering. This a small 

 tree or large shrub, seldom attaining, here, 6 feet. It 

 has large, dark green foliage, and purple flowers, 

 which appear, like th^ise of the Conspicua, before the 

 leaves. It is more easily multiplied than most of the 

 others, as it is increased by layers. There is 

 always a good supply of it in the nurseries. 



Soulangiana, or Soulange's Conspicuous Flower- 

 ing Magnolia. This is a variety of the Canspicua 

 or a hybrid between the Conspicua and Purpurea, 

 raised at Fromont, near Paris, by the late M. Lou- 

 LANGR BoDiN. It resembles the Conspicua in all 

 respects, but differs in having purple flowers. 



We have not spoken of the Gritndijluni, which is 

 certainly the most superb Evergreen tree on this 

 continent, or in the world, but requires protection in 

 all the Northern States, and is consequently unsuited 

 to general planting as an ornamental tree. Gentle- 

 men who keep a gardenerand can ail'ord to give special 

 attention to tender trees, should by all means enrich 

 their grounds with at least one specimen. It is 

 easily protected in winter by placing a box or board 

 shed over it. 



The Chrysantuemcm i.n China. — The Chrysan- 

 themum is the Chinese gardener's favorite flower. 

 There is no other with which betakes so much pains, 

 or which he cultivates so well. His Camclias, 

 .'Vzaleos, and Roses, are w'ell grown and well bloomed, 

 but with all these we beat him in England; in the 

 cultivation of the Chrysanthemum, however, he 

 stands unrivalled. The plants. themselves, seem, as 

 it were, to meet him half way and grow just as he 

 pleases; sometimes I met with them trained in the ' 

 form of animals, such as horses and deer, and at 

 other times they were made to resemble the pagodas, 

 so cnmnion in the country. They are always in 

 high health, and never fail to bloom most profusely 

 in the autumn and winter. — Gard. Chron. ( 



