which is the only sort that in the middle or eastern sections of the Union, grows within 150 miles of the sea-shore. This is the Magnolia of the swamps of New-Jersey, and the south, (M. glauca,) of which so many fragrant and beautiful bouquets are gathered in the season of its inflorescence, brought to New-York and Philadelphia, and exposed for sale in the markets. It is rather a large bush, than a tree; with shining, green, laurel-like leaves, four or five inches long, somewhat mealy or glaucous beneath. The blossoms, about three inches broad, are snowy white, and so fragrant that where they abound in the swamps, their perfume is often perceptible for the distance of a quarter of a mile. The foreign sorts introduced into our gardens from China, are the Chinese purple, (M. purpurea,) which produces an abundance of large delicate purple blossoms, early in the season; the Yulan or Chinese White Magnolia, (M. conspicua,) a most abundant bloomer, bearing beautiful white, fragrant flowers in April, before the leaves appear; and Soulange's Magnolia, (M. Soulangiana,) a hybrid between the two foregoing, with large flowers delicately tinted with white and purple. These succeed well in sheltered situations, in our pleasure-grounds, and add greatly to their beauty early in the season. Grafted on the cucumber tree, they form large and vigorous trees of great beauty. The Magnolia, in order to thrive well, requires a deep rich soil; which in nearly all cases, to secure their luxuriance, should be improved by adding thereto some leaf mould or decayed vegetable matter from the woods. When transplanted from the nursery, they should be preferred of small or only moderate size, as their succulent roots are easily injured, and they recover slowly when large. Most of them may be propagated from seed; but they flower sooner, grow more vigorously, and are much hardier when grafted upon young stocks of the Cucumber Magnolia. This we have found to be particularly the case with the Chinese species and varieties. All these trees are such superb objects upon a lawn, in their rich summer garniture of luxuriant foliage, and large odoriferous flowers, that they need no further recommendation from us to insure their regard and admiration from all persons who have room for their culture. If possible, situations somewhat sheltered either by buildings, or other trees, should be chosen for all the species, except the Cucumber Magnolia, which thrives well in almost any aspect not directly open to violent gales of wind. THE WHITE-WOOD, OR TULIP TREE. Liriodendron. Nat. Ord. Magnoliaceæ. Lin. Syst. Polyandria, Polygynia. The Tulip tree belongs to the same natural order as the Magnolias, and is not inferior to most of the latter in all that entitles them to rank among our very finest forest trees. The taller Magnolias, as we have already remarked, do not grow naturally within 100 or 150 miles of the sea-coast; and the Tulip tree may be considered as in some measure, supplying their place in the middle Atlantic states. West of the Connecticut river, and south of the sources of the Hudson, this fine tree may be often seen reaching in warm and deep alluvial soils, 80 or 90 feet in height. But in the western states, where indeed the growth of forest trees is astonishingly vigorous, this tree far exceeds that altitude. The elder Michaux mentions several which he saw in Kentucky, that were fifteen and sixteen feet in girth; and his son confirms the measurement of one, three miles and a half from Louisville, which at five feet from the ground, was found to be twenty-two feet and six inches in circumference, with a corresponding elevation of 130 feet. The foliage is rich and glossy, and has a very peculiar form; being cut off, as it were, at the extremity, and slightly notched and divided, into two sided lobes. The breadth of the leaves is six or eight inches. The flowers, which are shaped like a large tulip, are composed of six thick yellow petals, mottled on the inner surface with red and green. They are borne singly on the terminal shoots, have a pleasant, slight perfume, and are very showy. The seed-vessel, which ripens in October, is formed of a number of scales surrounding the central axis in the form of a cone. It is remarkable that young trees under 30 or 35 feet high, seldom or never perfect their seeds. Whoever has once seen the Tulip tree in a situation where the soil was favourable to its free growth, can never forget it. With a clean trunk, straight as a column, for 40 or 50 feet, surmounted by a fine, ample summit of rich green foliage, it is, in our estimation, decidedly the most stately tree in North America. When standing alone, and encouraged in its lateral growth, it will indeed often produce a lower head, but its tendency is to rise, and it only exhibits itself in all its stateliness and majesty when, supported on such a noble columnar trunk, it towers far above the heads of its neighbours of the park or forest. Even when at its loftiest eleva tion, its large specious blossoms, which, from their form, one of our poets has likened to the chalice; -Through the verdant maze Its golden chalice oft triumphantly displays. PICKERING. jut out from amid the tufted canopy in the month of June, and glow in richness and beauty. While the tree is less than a foot in diameter, the stem is extremely smooth, and it has, almost always, a refined and finished appearance. For the lawn or park, we conceive the Tulip tree eminently adapted: its tall upright stem, and handsome summit, contrasting nobly with the spreading forms of most deciduous trees. It should generally stand alone, or near the border of a mass of trees, where it may fully display itself to the eye, and exhibit all its charms from the root to the very summit; for no tree of the same grandeur and magnitude is so truly beautiful and graceful in every portion of its trunk' and branches. Where there is a taste for avenues, the Tulip tree ought by all means to be employed, as it makes a most magnificent overarching canopy of verdure, supported on trunks almost architectural in their symmetry. The leaves also, from their bitterness, are but little liable to the attacks of any insect. This tree was introduced into England about 1668; and is now to be found in almost every gentleman's park on the Continent of Europe, so highly is it esteemed as an ornamental tree of the first class. We hope that the fine native specimens yet standing, here and there, in farm lands along our river banks, may be sacredly preserved from the barbarous infliction of the axe, which formerly despoiled without mercy, so many of the majestic denizens of our native forests. In the western states, where this tree abounds, it is much used in building and carpentry. The timber is light and yellow, and the tree is commonly called the Yellow Poplar, in those districts, from some fancied resemblance in the wood, though it is much heavier and more durable than that of the poplar. When exposed to the weather, the wood is liable to warp, but as it is fine grained, light, and easily worked, it is extensively employed for the pannels of coaches, doors, cabinetwork, and wainscoats. The Indians who once inhabited these regions, hollowed out the trunks, and made their canoes of them. There are two sorts of timber known; viz: the Yellow and the White Poplar, or Tulip tree. These, however, it is well known are the same species, (L. tulipifera,) but the variation is brought about by the soil, which if dry, gravelly, and elevated, produces the white, and if rich, deep, and rather moist, the yellow timber. It is rather difficult to transplant the Tulip tree when it has attained much size, unless the roots have undergone preparation, as will hereafter be mentioned; but it is easily propagated from seed, or obtained from the nurseries, and the growth is then strong and rapid. THE DOGWOOD TREE. Cornus. Nat. Ord. Cornacea. Lin. Syst. Tetrandria, Monogynia. There are a number of small shrubs that belong to this |