64 THE NURSERY. [JAN. 



and brutes; and the most eligible plant for this purpose is the haw- 

 thorn ; but a paling, or other similar close fence, either in general or 

 part, would be extremely useful, against which to train young wall- 

 trees to a proper growth for garden or espalier plantations. 



The ground must then be all regularly trenched one or two spades 

 deep, according as the natural depth of the soil will admit, for by no 

 means dig deeper than the natural good soil, being either one spade, 

 one and a half, or two spades deep. 



Then, having trenched the ground, proceed to divide it by walks 

 into quarters and other compartments; a principal walk should lead 

 directly through the middle or some principal part of the ground, 

 which may be from five to eight or ten feet wide, according as it shall 

 seem proper for use or ornament, having a broad border on each side ; 

 another walk should be carried all round next the outward boundary, 

 four or five feet wide, leaving an eight or ten feet border next the 

 fence all the way ; then may divide the internal part by smaller cross 

 walks, so as to form the whole into four, six. or eight principal divi- 

 sions, which are commonly called quarters. 



One or more of the divisions must be allotted for a seminary, i. e. } 

 for the reception of all sorts of seeds for raising seedling plants to 

 furnish the other parts ; therefore divide this seminary ground into 

 four feet wide beds, with foot-wide alleys at least between bed and 

 bed : in these beds should be sown seeds, &c., of all such trees, shrubs 

 and herbaceous plants as are raised from seed ; and which seeds con- 

 sist both of the various sorts of kernels and stones of fruit, to raise 

 stocks for grafting and budding ; seeds of forest and ornamental trees, 

 shrubs, &c., and seeds of numerous herbaceous perennials, both of 

 the fibrous-rooted and bulbous-rooted tribes : the sowing season is 

 both spring and autumn, according to the nature of the different 

 sorts, which is fully illustrated in their proper places; and when the 

 young tree and shrub seedling-plants so raised are one or two years 

 old, they are to be planted out in nursery-rows into the other princi- 

 pal divisions ; but many kinds of herbaceous plants require to be 

 picked out from the seed-beds, when but from two to three or four 

 months old, as directed for each under their own respective heads. 

 On the other hand, most kinds of bulbous seedlings will not be fit for 

 planting out in less than one or two years. 



Part of the nursery ground should be allotted for stools of various 

 trees and shrubs for the propagation by layers, by which vast num- 

 bers of plants of different kinds are propagated. These stools are 

 strong plants of trees and shrubs, planted in rows three or four feet 

 distant every way, and such of them as naturally rise with tall stems, 

 are, after being planted one year, to be headed down near the ground, 

 to force out many lower shoots conveniently situated for laying. 



And as to cuttings, suckers, slips, offsets, &c., those of hardy 

 trees, shrubs, and plants, may be planted in any convenient compart- 

 ment, and in shady borders, &c., and for the more tender kinds should 

 allot some warm sheltered situation. 



The other principal divisions, therefore, of the nursery-ground, 

 are for the reception of the various sorts of seedling plants from the 

 above seminary quarters, also for all others that are raised from 



