426 BRECK’S NEW BOOK OF FLOWERS. 
and beauty among the smaller blossoms of the more com- 
mon trees and shrubs that blossom at that early time, and 
really fill the beholder with delight. The Chinese White 
Magnolia (J. conspicua,) is, in effect of its blossoms, the 
most charming of all Magnolias. The flowers, in color a 
pure, creamy white, are produced in such abundance, that 
the tree, when pretty large, may be seen at a great dis- 
tance. 
“The Chinese name, Gedlan, literally, Zily-tree, is an 
apt and expressive one, as the blossoms are not much un- 
like those of the White Lily in size and shape, when fully 
expanded. Among the Chinese poets, they are consid- 
ered the emblem of candor and beauty.” 
“The next most ornamental Chinese Magnolia,” he 
says, “is Soulange’s Purple, (Magnolia Soulangiana.) This 
is a hybrid seedling, raised by the late Chevalier Soulange 
Bodin, the distinguished French horticulturist. The hab- 
it of the tree is closely similar to that of the conspicua ; 
its blossoms, equally numerous, are rather larger, but the 
outside of the petals is finely tinged with purple. It par- 
takes of the character of both its parents, having the 
growth of Magnolia conspicua, and the color of MZ. pur- 
purea, (or, indeed, a lighter shade of purple.) Its term 
of blooming is, also, mid-way between that of these two 
species, being about a week later than that of the white, 
or Gulan Magnolia. It is also perfectly hardy in this lati- 
tude.” The Magnolia purpurea is sometimes seen in 
large gardens about Boston, but isa little tender. “It is 
a shrub of six to eight feet high. The blossoms are white 
within, of a fine dark-lilac or purple on the outside, and 
quite fragrant, like the others.” The flowers begin to 
open early in May, and continue blooming a number of 
weeks, or, if in the shade, through most of the summer. 
The same gentleman remarks, that, “If these noble 
flowering trees have a defect, it is one which is insepar- 
