Handbook of Trees of TiiE Ivoetheija- States and Canada. 205 



This tree, the northernmost and one of the 

 hupt'st represeiitiili\ es of tlie trenus in 

 America, attains in tlie forest the licii^ht of 

 80 or 90 ft. with straiyht columnar trunk S or 

 4 ft. in diameter, vested in a grayish Inowii 

 scaly-ridged bark. When isolated it develops 

 a wide rounded pyramidal top and is always 

 a tree of marked appearance on account of its 

 Inr^e handsome lca\'es. It inhabits irumntnin 

 slopes and the gravelly banks of streams, 

 rarely if ever forming pure ti'acts of forest, 

 but in company with various Oaks and Hick- 

 ories, the Tnii]) Tree, ^5weet Birch, Sugar 

 .Maple, White Ash, etc. 



The hardiest of the JNIagnolias, it is exten- 

 sively planted as an ornamental shade tree, 

 for which it is peculiarly appropriate, owing 

 to its good habit of growth and the abundance 

 nf its ample leaves, whieli cast a dense shade 

 and in autumn assume a pale yellow color. 



Its wood is light, a cubic foot when abso- 

 lutely dry weighing 29,23 pounds, soft, easily 

 worked and durable. 



It is very similar to the White-wood in 

 properties and applicable to the same uses. 

 It is also valued for pump lo,gs, troughs, etc., 

 on account of its great durability,! 



Lrarcs deciduous, scattered on the t>ianrhlets 

 7-10 in. long, oblon,g or oval, rounded oi sli^htlv 

 cordate at base, acute or acuminate at apr\ tbm 

 plahrous, dark green above, paler and moie or 

 jess pubescent beneath. Fl9n:oys oblon.r bell 

 shaped, more or less inclosed, pale ^illowi h 

 green, glaucous, the meml>raneous sepals 1 1^ in 

 long, and the thick obovate concavi" petaN — ' 

 in, long, the thi-ec of the outer row naiiont i ttnn 

 those of the inner. Fruit oblong, usualh (uivid 

 glabrous, dark red.- 



Var, conUtia Sarg. is a form with broadn h i\'s 

 and more heart shaped at base and smnlli i \pll iw 

 Bowers, is found in cultivation and appioxmiited 

 by wild flowers in South Carolina and -Vlabama 



I. A. W,, I, 1. 



'1. l'<:i' genus see p. 434 



