MAGNOLIA 



cone-shaped fruits are often pink or scarlet and very 

 decorative. Most of the deciduous species are fairly 

 hardy, at least in sheltered positions, as far north as 

 northernN.Y. and Mass., and M. acuminata, Kobtis and 

 stellata even farther north, while J/. CampbeUi is the 

 most tender Of the evergreen species M giandifloia 



shrul.l 



st beiutiful m 



'1| 



U 1 , 



IS pieca 



1 w 1 1 \ 1/ s II 1(1 nyea iia aud ii\ i i '' 

 h ui I 111 t t the deciduous «i 

 / / « nil the very laige le n 



uilHiih li \\\ sweet scented ri \ ' 



cin )/ ma< lophiilla and fiipetnlii <re con p 

 their very large foliage The Magnolias are 

 usuallv planted as single specimens on the 

 lawn and there are peihaps nopHntsmoie 

 striking against a back, 1 mil t I ik_i n 

 conifers borne specie i \l i n Itl i \u 

 the South and M acum , it i t nliu n ith 

 are fine avenue trees HilMi-h Ii i thin 

 best in somewhat rich mu Iti iIlU mui t in I 

 porous soil pi ef erring sandy or peatj loam 

 but some kinds which usually grow natural!} 

 on the borders of swimps as M qlaticu 

 thrne as well m moist and swampy situ i 

 tions Transplanting is difficult and is nn t 

 successfully performed just when the nt \v 

 growth IS starting Prop bv seeds sown nii 

 mediately or stratified and by li\eis of I i t 

 year s growth put downm spring mil tin, u 1 

 or notched Layers are usualh » i 1 n I 

 transplanted the following spiiii_ I iii i 

 many of them die after transpl iiitiii. it i i 

 safer way to tike them off eaily in luh \\Lt_u 

 the new growth has ripened plant them in 

 pots and keep m i ilose f r ime until thej are 

 established \ aiieties and laier kinds are 

 often veneer or side ^lafted in early spring 

 or summer on potted stock m the greenhouse 

 or frame as a stock M iripetala is perhaps 

 the best on account of its better fibious roots which 

 render transplanting safei but J/ acHmfiin^a is also a 

 good stock Sometimes increased by greenwood cut- 

 tings taken with a heel and handled under glass. 



About 20 species in N. America, south to Mexico, 

 Himalayas and E. Asia. Trees and shrubs, with rather 

 stout branches marked with conspicuous leaf-scars; 

 stipules usually adnate to the petiole and inclosing the 

 young successive leaf: fls. terminal, solitary, the buds 

 inclosed in a stipular spathe; sepals 3, often petaloid; 

 petals 6-15; stamens and carpels numerous, the latter 

 connate into a spindle, developing into a cone-like some- 

 what fleshy or leathery fr., with dehiscent, 1-2-seeded 

 carpels; the large, usually scarlet seeds often suspen- 

 ded for a time from the fr. by thin threads. The wood 

 is close-grained, usually light and satiny, but not dur- 

 able; that of il/". hjipoleuca is much used in Japan for 

 laquered ware: the bark and fr. of some species have 

 been used medicinally as a tonic and stimulant. 



Alfred Rehder. 



Among the finest Magnolias cultivated in the South are 

 the two native evergreen species M. grandiflora and 

 M. glauca, and the exotics M. pnmila and fuscata, the 

 last being now referred to Michelia. Magnolia, grandi- 

 fiora is a noble tree. It is a native of the middle and 

 southern sections of Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, 

 Louisiana and the upper districts of Florida, and is 

 recognized as one of the grandest of all broad-leaved 

 evergreen trees. In its native habitat it attains a 

 height of from 75 to 100 feet, with very large, oval or 

 lanceolate coriaceous leaves. The latter vary, however, 

 from very broad to rather narrow, some with a rusty 

 under surface, others quite smooth. The flowers vary 

 also in size, the largest frequently measuring 10-12 in. 

 in diameter when fully expanded; others do not attain 

 more than half that size. They appear early in May. 

 in some sections during the latter part of April, and 

 continue until the end of June. Some trees produce 

 a few flowers during August, and even as late as Octo- 



MAGNOLIA 965 



ber, but these are exceptions. Each flower lasts tram 

 2-4 days, when the petals fall and the cone-like fruit 

 appears. This gradually increases in size until Sep- 

 tember, when the bright coral-red seeds are detached 

 and hang on long filaments. The seed should be 

 gathered when fully ripe put in dry sand until Pebru- 

 arv in the S then in moist sand for a week or 10 days, 

 ^hen the resinous cuticle can be removed by washing. 





Sow the cleaned seed in a box or coldframe, and as the 

 plants show their second leaves pot off in small pots. 

 In July, give a larger-sized pot, and the plants will be 

 sufficiently large to plant in permanent place during 

 the following autumn or winter. It is always advisable 

 to take pot-grown plants, as they succeed better than 

 plants taken up with bare roots. Magnolias are vora- 

 cious feeders, and require rich soil and an abundance 

 of plant-food. Their roots extend to a great length, 

 and to bring out the stately beauty of this tree they 

 should be given ample space. The wood is white, and 

 valued for cabinet work. There are many forms culti- 

 vated in European nurseries, their main characteristics 

 being in the size and form of the leaves and size of 

 flowers. They are propagated by grafting, either by in- 

 arching or cleft- or tongue-graft. The latter should be 

 done under glass, taking 2-year-old pot-grown seed- 

 lings. The fragrance of the flowers varies also, some 

 flowers being more pungent than others, but, as a rule, 

 the fragrance is pleasant. The principal varietit-s are 

 M. grandiflora var. gloriosa, with tis. nftni iii.aMiiing 

 14 in. in diameter; foliage broad and iii;i--i\ r*. In i\\ n on 

 under surface. Seldom grows beynnil Is-j:. Ir. \"ar. 

 prcecor, or early-flowering. Var. ro/"i'i^V'j//'i. with very 

 dark green roundish Ivs., rusty underneath. 



Magnolia glauca, the Sweet Bay, is an evergreen 

 tree in the southern states, becoming deciduous north- 

 ward. It attains a height of 30 ft. in rich bottoms or 

 swampy lands: Ivs. oval, long or elliptical, with a glau- 

 cous under surface: fls. white, 3-i in. in diameter, very 

 fragrant, and produced from May to July. This tree is 



