ON TREES AND SHRUBS. 



393 



high, and perfectly hardy. Its flowers are borne in clusters, and 

 in shape are not unlike those of the Hamamelis. They are 

 creamy-white, and are divided into four narrow petals. The 

 leaves are small and rich green. It prefers a rich soil, and, like 

 the Hamamelis, delights in perfect drainage. 



Lyonia paniculata (Z. Hgusfrina), a North American shrub, 

 varies in height from 4ft. to loft ; it grows freely in peaty soil, 

 and bears short racemes of white flowers from June to August. 



Magnolias. — Amongst shrubs and trees with showy flowers 

 these are very noteworthy, and it is difficult to say why they 

 are not more frequently met with in gardens, as they are of 

 simple culture, quite hardy, and beautiful when . in flower. 

 Magnolias delight in a rich, well-drained soil, but so long as the 

 drainage is good, the quality of the soil is of no great importance. 

 It is, however, wise to protect them from east winds, as they 

 flower early, and sometimes get injured by biting winds and 

 late frosts. Autumn planting should if possible be avoided, as 

 Magnolias do not transplant readily at the fall of the leaf The 

 best time to move them is in spring, just as growth commences. 

 After planting they should be watered at the roots, and syringed 

 overhead to prevent the wood from shrivelling. M. conspiciia 

 (Yulan) is the best known kind. It is a native of China, and 

 has been cultivated in British gardens since 1789. It forms a 

 freely-branched tree, 20ft. or so in height, and a specimen 

 laden with its large, pure-white, sweet-scented, cup-shaped flowers 

 is very handsome in March. M. c. SouIa?igeana is a hybrid 

 between M. conspiciia and the purple-flowered M. obovata ; in 

 habit it resembles the first -named parent, while its fragrant 

 flowers are shaded with rosy-purple without and soft pink 

 within. M. c. Norberti has large, stout, purplish-tinted flowers. 

 M. c. Lennei {M. obovata x M. conspiciia) is a gem, and deserves 

 to be planted extensively ; its rosy-purple flowers are large and 

 freely produced. The stately Himalayan M. Campbellii is very 

 beautiful, but a drawback to its general cultivation is its shy 

 flowering in a young state ; its finely-formed flowers are rose and 

 white, shaded with crimson on the outside, and borne in advance 

 of the leaves. In April and May, M. stellata {M. Halkajia), the 

 dwarfest of all Magnolias, is, in the open air, literally smothered 

 with delicately-scented flowers as white as driven snow. A 

 great recommendation in its favour is that it flowers whilst 

 very young. In addition to its early-flowering it is the finest 

 Magnolia for pot-culture, and where flowers for conservatory 

 decoration are in demand in January, the kind now under 

 notice should be remembered. M. stellata pink variety is a 

 charming companion to the type. The flowers are of similar 

 shape and size, but instead of being pure white they are 

 beautifully shaded with pink. M. t>arviHora is a valuable 



