MAGNOLIA. 



small cucumber ; Vvhence the inhabitants of North Ame- 

 rica call it the cucumber tree. The wood is fine-grained, 

 and orange-coloured. This tree is not very common in 

 the inhabited parts of America. It was cultivated here 

 by Mr. P. CoUinson in 1736. 



The Umbrella Magnolia, or Umbrella tree, Magnolia 

 tripetala^ grows from sixteen to twenty feet high, the 

 leaves are remarkably large ; from twelve to sixteen 

 inches in length, and five or six in breadth, narrowing to 

 a point at each end ; they are placed in a circular man- 

 ner at the ends of the branches, somewhat like an um- 

 brella ; whence its name. The flowers are composed of 

 ten, eleven, or twelve large oblong white petals ; the 

 outer ones hanging down : the wood is soft and spongy. 

 The leaves drop off early in winter. This tree is fre- 

 quent in Carolina, and is also found in Virginia, and in 

 some parts of Pennsylvania. It was cultivated here in 

 1752. 



Thunberg says that almost every house in Japan has 

 a little piece of ground behind it, adorned with shrubs 

 and flowers ; and that he constantly saw the Magnolia 

 among them. 



The Magnolia is not sufliciently well known in this 

 country to be celebrated as its beauty deserves. Words- 

 worth says, speaking of a traveller — 



" He spoke of plants divine and strange 

 That every hour their blossoms change^, 



Ten thousand lovely hues ! 

 With budding, fading, faded flowers ; 

 They stand the wonder of the bowers 

 From morn to evening dews. 



He told of the magnolia, spread 

 High as a cloud, liigh overhead ! 

 The cypress and her spire ; 



