3 4 A l lB O U E T U M E T F R U T IC E T U M B R l 't 'A N N IC U M . 111. M A G N O I r ir i 'C i ’Æ : M A G N O 'l .M . 3 5
especially directed to tlie subject. M . c. S. specidsn and il-f. c. S. Alexmi-
dr'ina are in British gardens, but they are not worth kee[>ing distinct from
M. c. Soulange«»«.
44. Magtiòi»« coii!>j>5ciia.
This is a very showy tree, distinguishable from all the other magnolias
o f both sections, by its flowers expanding before any o f the leaves. The
tree assumes a regular conical shape, with a grey bark and numerous
branches and twigs, which generally have a vertical, rather than a horizontal,
direction. The young shoots are from 1ft. to 18 in. in length, and the tree,
in ten years, will attain the height o f from 10 ft. to 15 ft., flowering the second
o r third year after grafting. I t is nearly as hardy as th e American species ;
flowering freely every year, as a standard, in the neighbourhood of London,
when th e wood has been properly ripened during the preceding summer. A
rich sandy loam seems to suit this species best ; but it will grow in any deep
free soil, properly drained, and moderately enriched. The situation, when it
is to be treated as a standard, ought to be sufficiently open to admit o f ripening
the wood in autumn, and yet not so warm as to urge forward the flower-buds
prematurely in spring, as they are very liable to be injured by frost ; from
which, however, they may be protected by a very slight covering (during nights
and frosty days) of gauze or bunting, stretched over the tree horizontally,
and supported by posts. Against a wall, the tree shows itself in its greatest
beauty; and th e re it can easily be protected,by a projecting coping, from the
severest weather ever experienced in the neighbourhood o f London. In
warm situations, sloping to the south o r south-east, the tree has a fine effect
planted in front of a bank o f evergreens ; and, indeed, wherever it is planted,
evergreens should be placed near it, and, if possible, so as to form a background,
on account o f the flowers expanding before the tree is furnished with
any leaves. The species and all the varieties are propagated by layers, or
by inarching on M. purpùrea or on M. acuminàta. When inarched on M.
[lurpùrea, the tree is comparatively dwarfed, by which it is rendered very convenient
for use as a shrub, or for growing in pots, and forcing ; but, w hen it is
intended to form a tree, it should either be inarched on M. acuminàta, or raised
from layers or seeds. I t generally requires two years before the plants can
be separated from the parent stock. Some plants o f this species have been
raised from seed ripened in Europe ; and we have no doubt that, when this
magnificent tree becomes better known and more generally in demand, it
will be raised in this way extensively in France and Italy, and supplied to
the British nurseries from these countries.
a 9. M, nuRPu'iiEA Si/ns. Tlie purplefiowered Magnolia.
87. ; n o t . M a g ., t . 390 ; a n d omfig. 45.
Smc.Char.,&c. D e c i d u o u s . L e a v e s o b o v a t e , a c u t e , r e t i c u l a t e l y v e in e d ; a lm o s t
smooth. Flowers erect, of 3 sepals and 6 obovate pe ta ls; styles very short.
(Doris M ill) A deciduous s h r u b , with large dark green foliage. Japan.
HeiAit 3 ft. to 5 ft. Introduced in 1790. Flowers purple outside, white
within ; March to May. Strobile brownish ; ripe in September. Decaying
leaves black. Naked young wood greenish brown.
Vanetws.^^ ^ M. Kòbus Dec. and G. Don ; M. tomentósa Thun, in
IM. Tmns. Kæmpf. Icon., t.4 2 . ; P a r. Lon., t. 8 7 .- T h e two mam
points of difference between it and M. purpùrea are, the paler green,
and somewhat narrower shape, of the leaves ; and the longer and
more slender form o f the flower, the points ot the petals ot which
are slightly turned back ; while die flower o f M. purpùrea is more
cLip-shlped, and the petals a t th e points are ra th e r turned inwards.
The petals o f M. gracilis are on the exterior entirely o f a dark purple,
whereas those of M. purpùrea melt off into white at their upper
extremities. A number o f plants of this variety, which stood m the
Haiiiniersniith Nursery as border shrubs, and flowered freely every
year were killed down to the ground in the winter ot 1837-8.
Other Varieties. In DeCandolle’s Prodromus, and in Don’s Mdler three
varieties are described : M . p. denudata Lam., distinguished by the f^ower-
in«- branches being without leaves ; M . p . discolor Vent., which is said to be
rather more tender than the species ; and M . p . Xdijl'ora Lam., the petals o
which are white on both sides. These varieties were originally described
bv Kæmpfer ; but, as far as we know, none of them are in British gardens.
Several plants of this species having been raised from seed ripened in this
country the plants may exhibit slight shades o f difference, as has been the
case with certain seedlings raised in the Brentford N u rsery ; but, as tar as
we have observed, none o f these are worth keeping distinct. The only
variety which we consider truly distinct is M p . gracilis, considered as a
species by Salisbury and other botanists, but
wliich, we are convinced, is nothing more than
a race, or a variety. At Desio, a variety has
been raised which grows only I J f t . high, and
which Signor Cassoretti, the garden director
there, calls M . obovàta pùmila.
A deciduous shrub, attaining, in the gardens
about London, the height o f from 4 it. to 8 ft. in
as many years, and seldom growing much higher
as a bush. The stems are numerous, but not
much branched ; the leaves are large, o f a very
dark green ; and the plant produces a profusion
of flowers, which do not expand fully till a day
or two before they drop off; and which, unless
the weather is warm, do n ot expand a t all, but
wither on the plant, and disfigure it. The
flowers are large, m ore or less purple (according
to the season, but never wholly dark purple)
without, and always white within. The bark,
when bruised, has an aromatic odour. A very
ornamental species, which no garden ought to be without. This species is
generally considered as requiring a mixture of heath soil, or sandy peat, with
loam ; but in many gardens about London it succeeds perfectly both in sand
V 2
15. Mag n o lia jiu rp iire a