380 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



PART III. 



the bark and acorn cups of Qu^rcus ^'gilops from Spain j and these they mix 

 with the bark of the loblolly bay. Michaux remarks that the bark may be 

 taken off this tree during three months ; which shows that in it the sap is 

 abundant, and in vigorous motion, during a much longer period than it is in 

 the oak. In the northern parts of Am'erica, such as New York and Phila- 

 delphia, the loblolly bay is planted in gardens, along with the magnolia, as an 

 ornamental tree, requii'iog there, as it does in Paris, some slight protection 

 during winter. 



Soil, Situation, c^-c. This most beautifully flowering tree well desei-ves to 

 have a suitable soil prepared for it, and to "be treated with more care after it 

 is planted than it appears to have hitherto received in England. The soil 

 ought to be peat, or leaf-mould and sand ; and it should be so circumstanced 

 as always to be kept moist. For this purpose a considerable mass of soil 

 ought to be brought together, and placed in an excavation, on a retentive 

 substratum, in a low situation. During summer, water ought to be supplied 

 from below, rather than from the surface, in order that the degree of mois- 

 ture be kept as steady as possible ; which it never can be when the sur- 

 face is alternately moistened by the watering-pot, and dried by the sun. A 

 steady moisture may be produced by laying in the bottom of the foundation 

 either one or two brick drains across it, or a substratum of broken stones or 

 gravel, to which water can be supplied through a shaft or tube communicating 

 with the surface. Where both species of Gordons are to be grown along 

 with some other American trees and shrubs, such as Magnoh'a "glauca, &c., 

 which require similar treatment, the expense of this preparation would be 

 well w^orth incurring, in order to insure the successful growth of the plants. 

 In British nurseries, the Gordons is generally propagated by layers, but 

 sometimes seeds are imported. These I'equire to be raised on peat soil, kept 

 moist, and shaded ; and for this purpose a covering of ^Sphagnum is thought 

 desirable, as the seeds which droj) from the plants in their native habitats, 

 according to Michaux, only germinate successfully in this moss. 



statistics. There are specimens of this tree of 8 ft. or 10 ft. in height at Purser's Cross, at White 

 Knights, ill some of the London nurseries, and at a few other places in England; but scarcely any in 

 Scotland, from the tree being rathertender ; and but few inlreland, because there the summers seldom 

 admit of the wood being ripened. In the neighboxirhood of Paris, there are some plants in the nur- 

 series which have attained the height of 8 It or 10 ft. ; and there was formerly a large one at Mal- 

 maison. Price, in the London nurseries, 5s. ; at BoUwyller, ? ; and at New York, 1 dollar. 



i 2. G. pube'scens Ph. The pubescent Gordonia. 



identification. Pursh, Flor. Amer.,2. p. 451.; Dec. Prod., ]. p. 528. ; Don's Mill., 1. p. 573. 

 Synonymes. Xacathea florlda Sal. Par. Lond., t. 56. ; FrankUnra americAna Marsh. ; the Frank- 



linia, Amer. ; behaarte Gordonie, Ger. 

 Eiigi-avings. Sal. Flor. Lond., t. 56. ; Michs., t. 59. ; and onr fig. 94. 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Flowers almost sessile. Leaves obo- 



vate-lanceolate, pubescent beneath, somewhat serrated, 



membranaceous. Petals and sepals rather silky on 



the outside. {Don's Mill., i. p. 573.) A deciduous tree, 



from 20 ft. to 30 ft. high, producing large, white, 



fragrant flowers, with yellow anthers, in September 



and October, 1774. 

 Variety. — De Candolle indicates tw'o forms : — G. p. 



velutma, G. pubescens UHer., figured in Cav. Diss., 



6. t. 162., with oblong leaves velvety beneath, which 



may be considered the species ; and G. p. subgldbra, G. 



Franklini L'Her., and Franklinza Aldtamnha Marsh,, 



with leaves smoothish beneath. 



Description, This species is much smaller than the preceding one; in 



its native country forming a deciduous tree, rarely exceeding 30 ft. in height, 

 wnth a trunk 6 in. or "8 in. in diameter. The bark of the trunk is smooth, and 

 presents a ridged surface, somewhat like that of the common hornbeam. The 

 flowers are more than I in. in diameter, white, and of an agreeable odour. 

 In Carolina they appear abont the beginning of July ; and a month later near 

 Philadelphia, They open in succession during two or three months, and 



