166 ECONOMIC BOTANY OF ALABAMA 



has aromatic, tonic, and stimulant properties, and has been held 

 in high esteem, but is no longer officinal. The wood is light, soft, 

 and easily worked, but is not used much, no doul)t chiefly because 

 of its usually small dimensions. It is or has been used for fence- 

 rails in Marion and perhaps other counties, charcoal in Chilton 

 County, baskets at Evergreen and Flomaton, and brick-kiln fuel 

 at Flomaton. It is said to be also good for broom-handles. 



The bay grows in wet woods, non-alluvial swamps, sandy bogs, 

 etc., where the water does not fluctuate much with the seasons, and 

 it is usually abundant wherever it grows. It ranges nearly through- 

 out the state south of the Tennessee Valley (where no species of 

 Magnolia is known in the wild state). Its approximate inland 

 limit is shown on the accompanying map, and its known distri- 

 bution by regions is as follows : 



2A. Marshall, Cherokee and Etowah Counties. (See Bull. Torrey 

 Bot. Club 33:530. 1906.) Attains dimensions of 9 inches by 50 feet near 

 Albertville, and a diameter of a foot near the south end of Lookout Moun- 

 tain. 



2B. Tuscaloosa, Bibb and Shelby Counties. 



3. Not. common. Known from Cherokee. Etowah, Blount, Talladega, 

 Shelby, Bibb and Tuscaloosa Counties, but only one or two places (in the 

 valley region) in each county. 



4. Frequent in wet ravines, especially on the sunny side of the moun- 

 tains. 



5. Scattered nearly throughout, but apparently wanting from an area 

 around Lafayette, where the soil is a little too rich for it. (See remarks 

 on this region under Pimis poliistris. Also Map 2.) Grows a foot and a 

 half in diameter and fifty feet tall near Knight's Ferry, Chilton County. 



6 A. Ranges north to Franklin County, where specimens 1x40 feet 

 have been seen near Hodges. Possibly also near Red Bay, which is said to 

 be named for this tree, though "red" is never a part of its name. Very 

 common from southern Marion County southeastward ; and the largest 

 specimen on record anywhere is in Fayette County (if it is still standing). 



6B. Common, especially in Chilton County. 



6C. Frequent. 



7. Occasional in sandy places in Dallas and Lowndes Counties (some- 

 thing like Pinus pahistris) . 



8. Frequent. 



9. Sumter County. 



lOE. Common throughout. 



low. Frequent, except in Wilcox County. 



11. Frequent. 



12. Washington, Geneva and Houston Counties. 



13. Very common, but usually rather small. Shrubby in savannas in 

 some parts of Washington County. 



14. Common near the lower end of the delta, where the water is just 

 as muddy as it is farther up, but cannot fluctuate much, on account of the 

 nroximity of the bay. It probably extends only a few miles upstream, for 

 it is entirelv wanting in the delta in the latitude of Mount Vernon. 



15. Baldwin Countv. 



