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278 THE NURSERY. [March, 
The Franklinia alatamaha, of Bartram, is a most charming plant, 
and very deservedly worthy of cultivation: it may be propagated in 
the same manner as the Calicanthus; as may also, all the family of 
Gordonias, which are very ornamental shrubs. 
Rhus or Sumach. 
The various kinds of Rhus or Sumach, may be propagated by 
suckers, layers, or seeds. The seeds, if preserved in sand, and 
sown early in March, will rise freely the same season, and, when 
one or two years old, may be transplanted into nursery-rows, and 
having had there two years growth, may be planted where intended 
to remain. 
The Cork-Tree. 
The Quercus Suber, or Cork-tree, may be cultivated with good 
success in the southern states, and consequently deserves to be no- 
ticed among other articles of great national importance. It is a na- 
tive of the south of Europe, and the northern parts of Africa. At 
present there are considerable woods of them, between Rome and 
Naples, between Pisa and Leghorn, and also in Spain, Portugal, and 
the south of France. 
The uses of the cork are well known amongst us, by sea and land, 
for its resisting both water and air: the fishermen who use nets, 
and all who deal in liquors, cannot do well without it. Some per- 
sons prefer it to leather for the soles of their shoes, being light, 
dry, and resisting moisture; whence the Germans name it Pan- 
toffel-holts, or Slipper-wood; it was first applied to that purpose by 
the Grecian ladies, whence they were called light-footed. The poor 
people in Spain, and other parts of the south of Europe, lay planks 
of it by their bed-side to tread on; as great persons use Turkey 
and Persian carpets; they also employ it for bee-hives. For this 
last purpose, they roll the bark into a cylinder, or into a conical 
form, and it answers the end extremely well. It is also used for 
making cork jackets, which have been found eminently useful for 
mariners, passengers at sea, and for all those who resort to bathing 
places, for the benefit of their health; as such will enable the most 
timorous, to swim with perfect safety. 
Of the cork-tree, there are two or three varieties; one with 
broad leaves, a second with narrow leaves, both evergreen, and one 
or two which cast their leaves in autumn; but the broad-leaved 
evergreen kind, is the most common, and said to produce the best 
cork. The leaves of this are entire, about two inches long, and an 
inch and a quarter broad, with a little down on their under sides, 
having very short foot-stalks: they continue green through the 
winter, and generally fall off" just before the new leaves come out; 
so that the trees are often bare, for a short time. The acorns are 
very like those of our common white oak. 
The exterior bark is the cork, which is taken from the tree every 
eight or ten years; but there is besides an interior bark, which 
nourishes them, so that the stripping off the outer coat is so far 
