280 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



with moisture. Westward it is found in Tennessee, but is 

 never seen within two hundred miles of the Atlantic coast. 



The Cucumber tree attains the height of eighty feet, with 

 a trunk three to four feet in diameter. Its growth is perfectly- 

 straight and erect, and its head ample and symmetrically 

 shaped. The leaves are six to seven inches long, and three 

 to four broad, oval, entire, and very sharply pointed; on 

 young trees they are considerably larger. The flowers, 

 which are five or six inches in diameter, are bluish, and 

 sometimes white, with a tint of yellow ; they are slightly 

 fragrant, and abundantly produced on every branch. The 

 cones or fruit are three inches long, and eight or ten inches 

 in diameter, little concave on one side, and, when green, 

 resemble a cucumber, from whence its name : the seeds are 

 rose colored, and, when ripe, are suspended from the cone by 

 a long white thread. It does not bloom until ten or twelve 

 years old. 



Michaux remarks that the Cucumber tree will not flourish 

 on the seaboard, where the summers are hot and dry ; but 

 this is an error, as we have seen fine specimens at the Cam- 

 bridge Botanic Garden, at Flushing, (L. Island,) and other 

 places ; and in the old Bartram Garden, at Philadelphia, there 

 are trees ninety feet high. No doubt they grow more rapidly 

 in cool and mountainous localities, but they flourish as well 

 as many other trees, and grow with equal rapidity. In our 

 grounds it exceeds in size the Rock maple, of the same age. 

 It was discovered by Bartram, and sent by him to Peter Col- 

 lamore in 1736. 



The M. acuminata thrives best in a deep mellow and rather 

 moist soil ; though perfectly hardy, it sometimes suff"ers if the 

 situation is wet and the roots soddened with water in winter. 

 It may be planted in any place, and in any good soil if well 

 drained, and it will attain a large size. 



There is no reason why this tree should not be readily 

 produced. It grows freely from seeds or from layers. Seeds 

 produce the best specimens, though they flower sooner from 

 layers. The seeds should be sown in boxes soon after they 

 are ripe, and have the protection of a greenhouse or frame, 



