Magnolia. 
(MAGNIFICENCE.) 
T HIS superb emblem of magnificence was named Magnolia 
by Plumier, in honour of Pierre Magnol, a well-known 
writer on botanical subjects. It is a native of the Southern 
States of North. America. In its native country it begins to 
blossom in May, and continues a long time in flower, per¬ 
fuming the woods during the whole of the summer months. 
Kalen says that he seldom found the magnolia north of Penn¬ 
sylvania. “ They may be discovered,” he adds, “ by the scent 
of the blossoms at the distance of three-quarters of a mile if 
the wind be favourable. It is beyond description pleasant to 
travel in the woods at that season, especially in the evening. 
They retain their flowers three weeks. The berries, also, look 
very handsome when they are ripe, being of a rich red colour, 
and hanging in bunches on slender threads.” 
Dillenius says the flowers of this tree never open in the 
morning, and that their scent resembles that of the lily of the 
valley, with an aromatic mixture. 
Loudon tells a most interesting story of a Magnolia grandi- 
fiora, which in 1732 was brought by a French naval officer from 
the banks of the Mississippi, and planted at Maillardiere, 
about five miles from Nantes. This officer died, and his heirs, 
not caring for a tree that had as yet produced nothing, for 
nearly thirty years allowed it to remain unnoticed. In I 75 ^> 
however, M. Bonami, a botanist, discovered it, recognized the 
species, and in 1760, at the meeting of the States of Bretagne 
at Nantes, he presented the Princess de Rohan-Chabet with a 
branch of this magnolia in full blossom : it at once became 
the object of interest and conversation amongst all there. 
At last, Louis XV. hearing of the magnificence of the tree, 
