Magnolia ^593 



Wilson nor myself ever found the tree in a wild state in China ; but it is probably 

 indigenous in some of the unexplored districts. It is mentioned in the earliest 

 Chinese Herbal, which was compiled about 200 b.c, ; and it is extremely unlikely 

 to have been introduced from Japan, (A. H.) 



This beautiful tree is called Honoki in Japan, where it is most common and 

 attains a large size in the forests of Hokkaido. It also occurs in the mountains of 

 Hondo, at elevations of 2000 to 5500 ft. The largest that I saw were about 

 100 ft. high, usually with tall clean stems. This species requires a rich moist soil 

 and a considerable rainfall in summer ; and produces valuable timber. The wood ^ 

 is firm and uniform in texture, and of a yellowish or greenish white colour, and 

 is largely used for drawing-boards, musical instruments, lacquer work, and 

 many other purposes. It seems very similar to the wood of M. grandifiora, and 

 is said to be little subject to warping and splitting. Its charcoal is highly 

 prized in Japan for polishing lacquer-ware and metallic mirrors, and for finishing 

 cutlery. 



Though introduced^ as long ago as 1865 by Thomas Hogg into the United 

 States, where it has proved hardy in the north, it does not seem to have attracted 

 attention in this country till recently ; but on account of its large beautiful leaves, 

 sometimes 2 ft. long, and its fragrant flowers, it is well worth cultivation in the south 

 and west of England. Plants which I raised from seed, grew slowly at first, and for 

 the most part died when planted out, owing, I believe, to the presence of lime in 

 the soil. The oldest tree appears to be one at Grayswood, Haslemere, which was 

 obtained from Yokohama in 1884, and flowered in 1905. A tree at Kew, which 

 flowered in the same year, when it was 14 ft. high, was obtained from Japan in 1890. 

 One at Trewidden, Cornwall, which was planted about 1893, is 30 ft. high by 2\ ft. 

 in girth at one foot from the ground ; this produces flowers abundantly ; and bore 

 ripe fruit in September 191 1. Another at Enys, was about 20 ft. high in 191 1. 

 Wilson sent seeds to Messrs. Veitch, who now have the Chinese plant growing in 

 their nursery at Coombe Wood. 



In Ireland I have seen it growing well at Baronscourt, Co. Tyrone, the seat 

 of the Duke of Abercorn, where the soil and climate seem to be less favourable than 

 in many parts of Ireland. 



This species was raised^ in 1877 from seed in the botanic garden at Heidelberg, 

 and flowered there when about 20 ft. high in 1898. Mayr who had a high opinion 

 of it as a forest tree, suitable for producing good timber quickly in central Europe, 

 introduced it in 1890 into the experimental garden at Grafrath near Munich, where 

 a tree attained 20 ft. in height at ten years old. Schwappach* states that the 

 experimental plots of this species at Eberswalde are very thriving, the trees being 

 42 ft. high after seventeen years' growth. The growth is rapid in youth, like the 

 ash, which it also resembles in its requirement for space. Schwappach recommends 

 planting it, mixed with oak and beech, on soils suitable to these species. Count Von 



' Figured by Mayr, op. cit. t. xviii. 



2 According to Garden and Forest, i. 304, fig. 49 (1888), where the figure is taken from a tree in New York, which was 

 28 ft. high in 1898. * Semaine Horticole, 1900, p. 199. 



* In Zeituhrf. Forst. u. Jagdwesen. xliii. 604 (191 1), and Mitt. Deut. Dend. Ges. 191 1, p. 12. 



