182 ARISTOCRATS OF THE GARDEN 



found most commonly in our gardens and that we all 

 admire so much. 



Of all hardy trees Magnolias have the largest 

 flowers, and no trees are more beautiful and few so 

 amenable to cultivation. Now, Magnolias are con- 

 fined to this country east of the Mississippi Valley, 

 to eastern Asia and to the Himalayas. All the Amer- 

 ican species produce their flowers at the same time 

 as the leaves or after the latter are fully unfolded. 

 A similar group grows in the forests of China and 

 Japan; but, in addition, there are species native of 

 those lands which bear flowers abundantly on the 

 naked shoots. It is these that give such a gorgeous 

 display of blossoms in early spring and are everywhere 

 so highly esteemed in gardens and parks. Centuries 

 before their introduction to western lands these 

 plants were favorites in the gardens of China and 

 Japan, where their flowers are regarded as a symbol 

 of candor and beauty. 



The Yulan (commonly known as Magnolia con- 

 spicua, but correctly as M. denudata) is authentically 

 known to have been cultivated in China since about 

 618 a. d. The white-flowered form of the Yulan 

 was introduced to English gardens in 1779, and is 

 now grown everywhere in the Occident. It grows 

 wild in moist woods in the central parts of China, 



