499 
autumn they may be removed where they may have more sun; but if the winter should prove 
severe, it will be proper to cover them with Pease-haulm, or other light covering, which should be 
taken off conslantly in mild weather. In the following spring, * if these boxes or pots are placed 
upon a moderate hot-bed, it will cause the seeds to come up early, so that the plants will have time 
to get strength before the winter; but during the first and second winters, it will be proper to screen 
the plants from severe frost, but afterwards they will bear the cold very well. 
Genus 25. Liriodendrum. Tttlip Tree. Class VII. Polyandria. 
Order VII. Polygynia. 
* 
Species 1 . Common Tulip-tree. (Liriodendron Tulipifera.) 
This is a native of North America, where it grows so large as to be a tree of the first magnitude, 
and is generally known through all the English settlements by the title of Poplar. Of late years 
there have been great numbers of these trees raised from seeds in the English gardens, so that now 
they are become common in the nurseries about London, and there are many of the trees in several 
parts of England which do annually produce flowers. The first tree of this kind which flowered 
here, was in the gardens of the late Earl of Peterborough, at Parsons Green near Fulham, which 
was planted in a wilderness among other trees; before this was planted in the open air, the few 
plants which were then in the English gardens, were planted in pots and housed in winter, sup^ 
posing they were too tender to live in the open air; but this tree soon after it was placed in the 
full ground, convinced the gardeners of their mistake, by the great progress it made, while those 
which were kept in pots and tubs increased slowly in their growth; so that afterward there were 
many others planted in the open ground, which are now arrived to a large size, especially those which 
were planted in a moist soil. One of the handsomest trees of this kind near London, is in the 
garden of Mr. Jones at Waltham Abbey; and at Wilton, the seat of the Earl of Pembroke, there 
are some trees of great bulk; but the old tree at Parsons Green is quite destroyed, by the other 
trees which were suffered to overhang it, and rob it of its nourishment, from a fear of taking down 
the neighbouring trees, lest by admitting the cold air to the Tulip-tree it would injure it. 
Mr. Darby at Hoxton and Mr. Fairchild seem to have been the first who raised this tree in any 
quantity from seeds, and from them the gardens abroad were chiefly supplied.* Bishop Compton, 
however, cultivated it at Fulham in l688.f There is a fine tree in Mr. Ord’s garden at Walham 
Green, every year covered with blossoms.J 
The young shoots of this tree are covered with a smooth purplish bark; they are garnished with 
large leaves, whose foot-stalks are four inches long; they are ranged alternate; the leaves are of a 
< 
singular form, being divided into three lobes; the middle lobe is blunt and hollowed at the point, 
appearing as if it had been cut with scissars. The two side lobes are rounded, and end in blunt 
points. The leaA^es are from four to five inches broad near their base, and about four inches long 
from the foot-stalk to the point, having a strong midrib, which is formed by the prolongation of the 
foot-stalk. From the midrib run many transverse veins to the borders, which ramify into several 
smaller. The upper surface of the leaves is smooth, and of a lucid green, the under is of a pale 
green. The flowers are produced at the end of the branches; they are composed of six petals, 
* Miller’s Diet. edit. 1724. 8vo. 
•f* Hort. Kew. from Ray Hist. J Curt. Magaz. 
