22 
FRANKLINIA. 
Bay, they open in succession during two or three months, and begin to 
appear when the tree is only 3 or 4 feet high. 
The fruit is in the form of round, ligneous capsules, which, when ripe, 
open at the summit in four seams, to release the small, angular seeds. 
Although the Franklinia is only found two or three degrees further south 
than the Loblolly Bay, it appears to be far less sensible to cold ; for I have 
seen several trees of this species in the garden of J. and W. Bartram, about 
4 miles from Philadelphia, whose growth was luxuriant, and which, dur- 
ing 25 years, had remained uninjured by the severe winters which occur 
in this part of Pennsylvania. 
The Franklinia has long been cultivated in France and England ; but 
though the cold is less intense, it grows less kindly at Paris than at Phila- 
delphia. This tree seems to be less highly esteemed than it deserves : it 
might easily be naturalized, and its magnificent flowers, especially when 
rendered double, would richly contribute to the decoration of our pleasure 
grounds. 
PLATE LIX. 
A branch with leaves and a flower of the natural size. Fig. 1, The capsule 
which contains the seeds. Fig. 2, A seed. 
[This superb tree and the preceding belong to the order Ternstromiaceæ, 
and are allied to the Camellia. Near Philadelphia, in high and dry situa- 
tions, it is hardy ; in inferior situations a hard winter kills it to the root, 
from which stools spring up in abundance ; these may be layered. A tree 
of this kind, more than thirty feet high, flourishes admirably at South 
Laurel Hill Cemetery, and has long been admired for its beautiful and 
abundant bloom ; the fragrant flowers drop in an almost perfect state every 
day for two months, and it persists in this habit till a heavy frost. In 
ornamental planting by no means neglect this rare and valuable tree. The 
Loblolly Bay it is difficult to preserve through a Philadelphia winter.] 
