Gordonia — from a Kodachrome by Peter Mezitt 
P\gases on the lookout for the unusual, we have been grow- 
ing Gordomia alatamaha, the Franklinia Tree, for the past five 
years. It is reputed to be tender, but has not suffered with us as yet. 
The history of this beautiful and fragrant autumn-flowering tree 
is as dramatic a one as we have heard: A few plants were discovered 
wild in the swamps of Georgia in 1770 and brought to the gardens 
around Philadelphia. It then was named Franklinia, probably for 
Benjamin Franklin. Later it was found to be of the genus Gordonia. 
In 1790 the plant had disappeared and a search was made in 
Georgia, but no plants were ever found in the wild again. A lone 
plant was later found in the Bartram Gardens near Philadelphia 
and all existing plants are supposedly from this specimen. 
