JAN.] THE NURSERY. 63 



established on a poor gravel or stiff clay, the plants raised on such 

 would be poor, small, hide-bound, starved things, very unfit for plant- 

 ing in any land. 



If an animal was to be only half fed, from its first having life, for 

 one year, I believe that such would never grow -to be of a large size 

 of its kind, if afterwards it was put into better keeping j but suppose 

 it was put to harder fare, it would certainly make a poor figure. If 

 this same animal had been moderately fed for one year, and then put 

 into worse feeding, it would have made a better beast. 



Some will say that these observations are unnecessary, as the 

 ground in which fruit-trees are generally planted is for the most part 

 good, being particularly selected for that purpose, and that a soil 

 similar thereto will do very well ; granted, provided the ground be 

 naturally good ; but if these people had a large extent of poor gra- 

 velly soil, or stiff clay, to plant with forest or ornamental trees, live 

 hedges, &c., would they seek out a similar spot for a nursery, to raise 

 plants for planting the same ? If so, they would discover their mis- 

 take when too late. This is the error I wish to correct, being very 

 desirous that every attempt towards this kind of improvement should 

 prove successful ; and in order to effect this, it is necessary to set out 

 on right principles. 



It is very wrong to enrich nurseries with dung, particularly until 

 it is very old, and almost turned into earth j although many eminent 

 nurserymen dung their ground very plentifully, yet they do it with 

 great judgment, and never plant trees until it is well rooted and 

 mixed with the mould, so as to be quite incorporated, and generally 

 take a crop or two of vegetables before they plant trees therein. 



It is not absolutely necessary that the soil should be exceedingly 

 rich, nor over carefully manured ; a medium between the two extremes 

 is best ; such as any good substantial garden ground ; or good mellow 

 pasture land, having the sward trenched to the bottom, will do very 

 well for the growth of trees. '.,< ; - 



As to situation, it ought to be somewhat low, but dry, fully ex- 

 posed to the sun and free air, and, if possible, where there is the con- 

 venience of water for the occasional watering of young seedlings and 

 newly planted trees, &c. 



As to a small nursery for private use, it may be formed out of part 

 of the kitchen garden, if large enough, or some other convenient 

 place ; or it may be made somewhere convenient to the pleasure 

 ground, if any, and so contrived as to lead insensibly into it by wind- 

 ing walks, so as to appear to be part of the same. , 



FENCES, PREPARING AND LAYING OUT THE GROUND. 



A fence round the whole ground is necessary : this may either be a 

 hedge and ditch, or a paling ; the former is the cheapest, and in the 

 end most durable ; though in some places where rabbits abound, paling 

 fences at first are eligible for preserving the nursery from the depre- 

 dations of those animals which often do great mischief to the young 

 plants by barking and cropping them : a good hedge and ditch fence, 

 however, may be made very effectual against the inroads of both men 



