NUR 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



NUR 



179 



a plant into a slit or gash, the sides of which, by the operation 

 of making it, are hardened, and rendered impenetrable, in 

 a great measure, by the tender fibrils, for a time, until rain 

 and the influence of the weather soften them. He therefore, 

 for the better performance of both methods, would advise : 

 1st, for dibbling; that the ground be well broke in the ope- 

 ration of digging or trenching; that whatever is dug be also 

 planted the same day; that it neither be dug nor planted 

 in too wet nor too dry a state ; that the hole be made large 

 and loose by a twitch of trie hand ; that the plant be just suf 

 ficiently fastened to keep it in proper position ; and that, at 

 the end of each day's work, the whole be levelled, and the 

 earth closed to the stems with a short-headed rake : 2nd, for 

 laying in with the spade; that (instead of digging over the 

 ground first, and then planting in a slit or gash, whereby 

 the sides of the slit are hardened, and the roots crowded 

 in,) the digging and planting be both carried on together; 

 that is, turn one furrow farther than where the row is to be 

 placed, cut perpendicularly by the line; place in the plants; 

 turn another furrow to their roots; turn a second, or if neces- 

 sary a third furrow; cut and place as before, &c.; treading 

 none, but smoothing all with the rake. Farther, the Ash, 

 and Mountain Sorb, should also remain two years in the semi- 

 nary. The poorest soil in the nursery should be their por- 

 tion, reserving better for the kinds to follow. They should 

 also be planted in lines twelve inches asunder, and four in 

 line; the roots of both being moderately trimmed with the 

 knife. The Beech and the Oak are to remain two years in the 

 seminary, and should be planted in good soil, in lines fifteen 

 inches apart, and five or six in line. Their roots ought on 

 no account to be trimmed at this time; otherwise not one 

 half of the plants will strike. They should remain for two 

 seasons in this situation; at the end of the first, let their 

 tap-roots be cut at the depth of six inches below the surface, 

 a person cutting on each side the row with a spade sharpened 

 on purpose, so as to effectually cut the tap-root of each 

 plant, with as little injury to the upper part as possible, 

 then pointing up the intervals of the rows, levelling all the 

 btems of the plants. It is supposed, that at the end of the 

 second season the plants will have made fibry roots, and 

 be fit for removal to almost any situation. But if for any 

 particular purpose it be necessary to nurse them longer, in 

 that case they should be transplanted next season into fresh 

 nursery rows ; allowing them a little more room, and short- 

 ening all roots which have a tendency downwards. The 

 common Chesnut, and also the Horse-chesnut, should also 

 stand two years in the seminary, and any part of the nursery 

 will suit them. They should then be planted in lines fifteen 

 inches apart, and four or five in line. Their roots may be 

 gently pruned. They should stand two or three seasons, 

 according to their progress, in this situation. Being chiefly 

 ornamental plants, and designed for the less untoward situa- 

 tions, they are frequently required of larger size. If so, at 

 the end of the second season they should be moved, and 

 planted into rows eighteen or twenty inches apart, and eight 

 or nine inches in line; previously shortening all the roots 

 that tend downwards, and tapping, as advised above for Beech 

 and Oaks. But the Elm, the Hornbeam, and the Sycamore, 

 are sometimes removed from the seminary at one, and some- 

 times at two years old ; he prefers the latter, planting them 

 in lines twelve inches apart, and four in line, and pruning 

 the roots if required. At the end of the second season, they 

 will be fit for removal to any situation where soil to the 

 depth of four inches is found; but if intended for more 

 barren sites, they should be removed at the end of the first 

 year. In respect to the Larch, it should never remain more 

 81. 



than one season in the seminary. Mr. Nicol is convinced of 

 this, from having made a variety of experiments for ascer- 

 taining the quickest and most advantageous methods of rear- 

 ing this useful tree. The result of experiment has proved to 

 his entire satisfaction, that a healthy seedling of one year, 

 nursed in moderately good soil, having a sufficiency of room, 

 and kept properly clean of weeds, will in any soil or situation 

 wherein it may afterwards be placed, outgrow another of 

 any age within the seventh year after transplanting. He has 

 planted many of this description, and within that period has 

 measured them fifteen feet in height; while those on the 

 same spot, planted the same day, and which were some two, 

 some three years nursed, did not measure above twelve feet, 

 nor were they so straight and beautifully formed. With 

 regard to the Scotch Fir, and the Weymouth Pine, the former, 

 unless for the purpose of decoration, or where it is wanted 

 for variety, is never nursed, but taken from the seminary at 

 two years old, and then planted out for good. Mr. Nicol 

 approves of this practice, provided the plants stand thin in 

 the seminary ; but otherwise they should be nursed one year 

 in rows a foot asunder, and an inch in line. If they are 

 required of a larger size, they should be removed from this 

 into other nursery lines, at twelve or fifteen inches apart, 

 and four or five in line, according to the time they are to 

 remain there, which however should not be longer than two 

 years for any purpose whatever. The Weymouth Pine 

 should also stand two years in the seminary, and then be 

 nursed two or three years in rows, according to the pur- 

 pose intended, or the quality and depth of soil wherein 

 it is to be afterwards planted. In either case, fifteen 

 inches between the lines will be sufficient; and if they are 

 to remain two years, four in line; but if three, five or six. 

 The tap-roots of the seedlings of either may be shortened a 

 little; but at the second, or any subsequent removal, their 

 roots must not be touched. But the common or Norway 

 Spruce should be removed from the seminary at two years 

 old, and nursed in lines twelve inches apart, and three in 

 line, for two seasons ; at the end of which, remove them 

 into other lines fifteen inches apart, and four or five in line; 

 there to remain one, or at most two years, in proportion to 

 their progress, or the soil they are planted in. If they are 

 intended for very barren sites, plants nursed for two seasons 

 only are preferred. The roots of this plant should not be 

 pruned at any time, if it can be avoided ; nor indeed 

 should any of the resinous tribes, except a small piece of 

 the tap-root of seedling infants. The American Spruce and 

 the Silver Fir are also to be taken from the seminary at the 

 end of the second year, and planted in lines twelve inches 

 apart, and four in line; nursing them there for two seasons, 

 and then removing them into other lines,- eighteen inches 

 apart, and six in line, there to remain for one or two seasons 

 more, according to circumstances. Longer they should not 

 be nursed. If they be intended for bleak exposures and 

 barren soil, they should be removed thereto at the end of 

 the two first seasons of nursing, if possible. In regard to 

 the Quick or White Thorn, which is a most useful plant, it 

 may remain either one or two seasons in the seminary, 

 according to the progress it may have made ; then planting 

 in lines twelve inches apart, and two in line; at the end of 

 one season, removing the plants into other lines, twelve 

 inches apart, and four in line. The roots may be gently 

 pruned. It is observed, that the reason of removing them at 

 the end of the first year, is to encourage the progress of 

 their fibry roots. At the end of the second, the'y will be 

 fit for hedging in any situation whatever; nor will plants of 

 auv age or size outgrow them within the third year, if thev 

 " 2Z 



