Apeil, 1907 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



151 



Consequently, April is the best time to trans- 

 plant magnolias, as severed roots heal more 

 easily then. The mortality among "cheap" 

 magnolias is very high. The truth is that 

 magnolias do best when moved with a ball 

 of earth, but this is necessarily expensive. 

 The only true economy is to pay the highest 

 retail price and get large specimens each of 

 which is balled and burlapped. 



It is a good rule never to ship magnolias 

 in the fall, but it is not a difficult thing to 

 move magnolias from one part of an estate 

 to another in the autumn. If this has to be 

 done, I should prefer to do it in early fall, 

 but Mr. F. W. Barclay states that he moved 

 successfully thirty magnolias in winter at 

 Haverford, Pa., being careful to have a 

 a large ball of frozen earth so that none of 

 the roots were broken. 



It is a great mistake to try to make an 

 avenue of magnolias, because they vary too 

 much in habit for formal effect. A gentleman 

 near Philadelphia who tried to grow all the 

 hardy kinds in this way, was so dissatisfied 

 with the result that he moved them all out 

 after they had attained considerable size. 



When you receive from the nursery any 

 of the species that bloom before the leaves, 

 be sure to remove all the flower buds, as the 

 trees have all they can do to develop their 

 leaf buds the first season. These flower 

 buds are unmistakable. They are at the 

 ends of the branches and large — sometimes 

 two inches long. The leaf buds are small 

 and on side shoots. When removing the 

 flower buds, be careful not to break the wood. 

 It is also wise to cut back or thin out some 

 of the shoots. 



Another important precaution is to stake, 

 or stay, newly planted, large or tree-shaped 

 magnolias, for a high wind will move them 

 back and forth enough to disturb the roots 

 greatly. 



Magnolias must never be allowed to suffer 

 for water during the summer. You must 

 be particularly careful the first season after 

 planting. Don't sprinkle the surface daily. 

 Anything short of a good soaking will never 

 do. Then mulch the base of the tree to 

 conserve moisture in the ground and keep 

 the roots cool. Use decayed leaves, with 

 strawy material on top to keep them from 

 blowing away. 



In winter, also, it is important to mulch 

 them, as the alternate thawing and freezing 

 toward the break-up of winter heaves and 

 breaks the roots of plants. 



Plant magnolias in a spot that is sheltered 

 from biting winds, and if you want a cheap 

 form of insurance during the critical first 

 winter, put up a broad shelter on the wind- 

 ward side. 



Don't put them on knolls or on the top 

 of a bank. Be sure that there is perfect 

 drainage. They cannot endure any stag- 

 nation of water. 



Magnolias want rich, deep soil. A rich 

 compost of good loam with some peaty 

 material and sand added is just the thing. 



Magnolias can be propagated by seed. It 

 is a good way, but slow. It is best to sow 

 the seeds as soon as they are matured. If 

 that is not convenient, then it is better to 



Watson's magnolia, AT. Watsoni. The red filaments of the stamens make a glorious spot of color 



stratify them — i. e., pack them in soil and 

 keep in a cool place. Propagation by green 

 wood cuttings is sometimes advocated, but 

 I believe it is rather an uncertain and un- 

 profitable method. Nevertheless, it is worthy 

 of a trial. July is a good time to get the 

 material. Select a green shoot with a heel 

 or portion of old wood attached. After- 



wards, place the cutting in sandy soil, 

 under glass ; keep moist and shaded. 



Magnolias, like rhododendrons, layer read- 

 ily. Layering consists in bending down 

 shoots to the ground and there making them 

 firm by pressing soil around. July is a good 

 time of the year for this operation. Leave 

 the shoots undisturbed until the next spring. 



The Japan l&cquer tree, Magnolia hypoleaca. Note the exquisite texture of the leaves. May 10th. 



