The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-11-11
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Fr6 aslinis Tree

WashaHgtoa Nov. liza "lost,
tree b TO b the objsctive Of the lat.
eat sdenAa6ea ssyps4ieteos to be organ.
tssdcaK<hh essnttya Hiss the e.rrank-
linfasss'a suAti$S spS6iubem. now prae-
tically exSanst sAaf nAmsas Benjai
min FxAAkfoE- 2. - - e..-,
Thiss- ttess fsass wSs discovered in
l765 in the Altaniaha river valley
near Fort Darlington, Georgia, by
John BArtfam, who once was botan-
'st to the king Of England. He named
it for his, friend, the Philadelphia
printer.
Because Of it's decorative value, the
tree Immediately became popular and
those who gathered the seeds and
seedlings for. propagation are believed
to have caused les determination in
the wild state. Agricultural Depart
nent botanists declare that many
searchers have visited the Alabama
valley in vain.
The beautiful, mildly fragrant
fragrant white blossoms of the
"Franklinia" resemble somewhat
those Of the magnolia, although the
tree itself does not grow so high, and
the leaf is thinner and of different
shape.
The Franklinia requires an "acid"
soii, a condition which horticulturists
have not understood for very long,
and nurserymen found it so difficult
20 grow that now there are only six
parks or gardens known to have spec
linens. Two of the trees are in Chevy
Chase, one in Georgetown and anoth-
er in Hyattsville, Md, suburbs of
Washington, while there is another in
one or more others may be in pri-
vate nursery at Germantown, Pa.
The tree Immediately became pop
ular for garden and parking decora-
tion, and those who gathered the
seeds and seedlings for propagation,
it is believed, caused it's 'extermina-
tion in the wild state. Certainly
Agriculture Department botanists de-
clare, many successive searchers have
sought in the Aitamaha Valley in vain
Tor the rare tree, and even yet, opti-
nistic botanists still hope to have
She honor of finding one or more iso
lated specimens. AS none have been
seen in this section, the only spot
where the tree was ever found, since
1890, the beautiful species is held to
be practically extinct.S
1t will be in final endeavor to To-
cate wild specimens, that the National
Lumber Manufacturers Association
will send out the party. The valley
will be thoroughly combed for several
months in the hope that the dense
SwampyA thickets of that region still
hide few of the trees.
The interest taken by residents of
Chevy Chase in the neglected speci-
mems led, the Association to the task.
twas said that the dense growth of
bushes and trees around the two re-
manning Franklinia trees in the gov
ernment parking, in which they were
placed some years ago, was rapidly
eapping their feeble strength. The
trees were "regretfully sentenced to
death" by District Of Columbia park
officials who were unable, because of
the "budget alibi" excuse of federal
government officials, to obtain money
for their succor.
However, private life savers have
started to prune away the growth
about the trees ito admit more sun
light to them, and to- cultivate and
Rcidulate the soil about their roots to
give longer span Of life to the remain
ing representatives of rare native
tree,a named in honor of one Of the
eountry's. greatest historical person.
hges.