264. 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



PART HI. 



the branches were cut off close to the trunk. It shot out vigorously ; but the 

 young shoots, not having had time to ripen, were destroyed by the frost. 

 Notwithstanding this check, it again recovered, and afterwards became a fine 

 tree, between 25 ft, and 30 ft. high, with a large, well proportioned head, and 

 a trunk 4 ft. in circumference, the lower branches sweeping the ground ; and 

 the whole tree producing annually from 330 to 400 large, elegant, and sweet- 

 scented flowers. The seeds, however, never arrive at perfect maturity ; although 

 the fruit attains its full size, and remains upon the tree till the following 

 spring." {Nouv. Duh., i. p. 220.) This tree, as we have noticed in p. 138., still 

 exists, and is now upwards of 30 ft. high, and 100 years of age. 



M. grandifldra, soon after its introduction into France and England, would 

 doubtless find its way into the botanic gardens of Germany. In Italy, as 

 already noticed in p. 169., the first planted trees were in the botanic garden at 

 Padua, where, in 90 years, they have attained the height of 60 ft., with trunks 

 4ft. in diameter; and in the botanic garden at Pisa, as we are informed in 

 the Noiiveau Uu Hamel, it produced perfect seeds, from which plants were 

 i-aised by M. Marraier, on his estate at Rois, near Besanfon. The tree has 

 been introduced into the botanic gardens of Spain ; also, it is believed, into 

 those of South America and India ; and, as stated in p. 176., into the gardens 

 of China. 



Properties and Uses. The medical properties of the genus have been already 

 mentioned. In Europe, it can only be considered in the light of an orna- 

 mental tree, or rather, perhaps, shrub; as, generally speaking, it can only 

 be cultivated with success when trained against a wall. 



Soil and Situation. In Europe, a deep sandy loam, dry at bottom, and en- 

 riched with vegetable mould or heath soil, seems to suit all the varieties of 

 this species. The situation in the colder parts of Europe may be exposed to 

 the direct influence of the mid-day sun ; but, in the south of France, and in 

 Italy, the tree always thrives best when in the shade of other trees ; and in 

 these countries, also, it requires a moister soil than in England. Where the 

 tree is to be treated as a standard, the situation should be sheltered from the 

 points from which the highest winds are expected, but it should be open to 

 the south or south-east, to admit abundance of light and wai-mth. In general, 

 where the fig tree will grow as a standard, and survive the winter without protec- 

 tion, there the Magnolk grandifldra may be planted, and treated as a standard also. 

 The best situations are, the south-east margin of a shrubbery or wood, a sheltered 

 place on a lawn, or an open glade in a plantation. Perhaps the finest situation for 

 displaying the flowers of this tree, as a standard, would be a sloping bank of 

 sandy soil facing the south-east. Here it might be mixed with a few of the 

 deciduous magnolias, and particularly with M. conspicua and Soulangea?2a, 

 which, as they flower before their leaves come out, would be set off to great 

 advantage by the evergreen leaves of M. grandifldra. When this species is 

 to be trained against a wall, any aspect may be chosen, except, perhaps, 

 the north-east. To display the flowers to the greatest advantage, to a spec- 

 tator walking in a direction nearly parallel to the wall, the ground plan of the 

 latter should be curvilinear, by which means a direct or front view of a con- 

 siderable poi'tion would be brought before the spectator. In general, a seg- 

 ment of a circle will be sufficient for a short wall ; and two or more segments, 

 forming an ogee, or a serpentine line, for a longer wall. In a very exposed 

 situation, a magnolia wall, 20 ft. or 30 ft. high, might form three parts of a 

 round tower, open at top ; the lateral opening facing the south, and the trees 

 planted inside the tower. All the trees might easily be protected by throwing 

 a shght roof of boards over the tower during winter. If the tower were not 

 more than 20 ft. or 30 ft. in diameter, the walls, if built of brick and cement, 

 need not be thicker than 9 in., even if made 30 ft. high. Magnolias might be 

 grown in the inside of such a tower, and camellias on the outside. The 

 wall may be of any height, from 1 0 ft. to 20 ft., or even 50 ft. A wall covered 

 with evergreen magnolias, interspersed with a few plants of M, conspicua, 

 forms a beautiful medium of connexion between a conservatory and.a flower- 

 garden or shrubbery; or it forms an admirable northern boundary to a winter 



