THE CHINESE MASNOLIAS. S&J ' 



of large and fine seeds, from wUch. \^e hope to raise many 

 plants.* 



This' tree ^s perfectly tardy in this latitude, and we have never 

 known One of its flower buds (whicli are quite large in autumn), or 

 an inch, of its wood, to be 'killed by the m0st severe winter. It is, 

 however, grafted about a foot from the ground, on a stock of our 

 western magnolia — sometimes called in Ohio the " cucumber-tree " 

 (3f.acumindta). This perhaps genders ft a little more hardy, and 

 rather more vigorous than when grown on its" own 'root — as this 

 native sort is the very -best stock for all the Chinese sorts. It is so pro- 

 pagated by budding in August ; and no doiiBt' the spring buefdinff 

 recommended by Mr. NelSbn, -would bo a highly successful mode." 



■ The next 'most ornamental -Chinese magnolia, is Soulange's pur- 

 ple {M. s&ulangiand). This is a hybrid' seedling, raised by the late 

 Chevalier Soulahge Bodin, the distinguished French horticulturist. 

 The habit of the tree is closely similar to that of the conspiciut ; its 

 blossoms, equally nuinerOus, are rather larger, but 4e outside of the 

 petals is finely tinged with purple. It partakes of the cTiafaoter of 

 both its parents — having the gi'dwth of magnolia conspicua, and 

 , the color of magnolia purpurea (or indeed a lighter shade of purple). 

 Its temi of blooriiing .is also midway between that of these two spe- 

 cies, being about a week later than that of the white or Oulan 

 magnolia. It is also perfectly hardy in this latitude. ' 'The purple 

 Chinese magnolia {M. purpurea) is a much dwarfer tree than the 

 two preceding species. Indeed, it is properly a shrub, some six or 

 eight feet m its growth in this latitude. Grafted on the " cucumber- 

 ia:ee," it would no doubt be more vigorous, and perhaps more hardy, 

 for it is occasionally liable to hav^ the^ ends of its branches slightly 

 injured by severe winters here. Its flowers begin to open early in 

 May, and on an old plant they continue blooming for six weeks, and 

 indeed in a shaded situation, often for a considerable part of the 

 summer. These blossom* are white within, of a fine dark lilac or 

 purple on the outside, and quite fragrant like the others. This is 

 the ojdest Chinese jnagnolia known here, having been brought from 



* There is, we leara, a fine large specimen of this tree in the garden of 

 *Mr. William Davidson, Brooklyn, W. Y. ~ " . • 



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