JAN.] THE NURSERY 67 



set the line as above, then turning the spade edgeways to the line, 

 cast out the earth of that spit, then a person being ready with plants, 

 set one in the cavity close to the line, and directly taking another 

 such spit, turn the earth in upon the roots of the plant, and then 

 placing another plant into the second cut, cover its roots with the 

 earth of a third spit, and so on to the end ; but sometimes when the 

 roots are considerably larger, holes are made along by the line wide 

 enough to receive the roots freely every way, so covering them in, as 

 above, as you go on, observing always to press the earth gently with 

 the foot close to the roots, and close about the stems, to settle the 

 plants firmly in their proper position. 



Herbaceous fibrous-rooted plants are, for the most part, planted 

 with a dibble, except when the roots are large and spreading, or such 

 as are removed with bails of earth, then they are more commonly 

 planted by holing them in with a garden trowel, or small spade. 



Bulbous and tuberous rooted plants sometimes are planted with a 

 dibble, but many sorts may also be planted in drills drawn with a hoe. 

 These sorts are also sometimes planted as follows : rake or trim the 

 earth from off the top of the beds from about three to four inches 

 deep into the alleys, then place the roots in rows upon the surface, 

 thrusting the bottom a little into the ground, and immediately cover 

 them with the earth which was drawn off into the alleys for that 

 purpose, spreading it evenly over every part, so as to bury all the 

 roots an equal depth. 



As to the tender kinds of exotic plants that require occasional 

 shelter whilst young, many of them should be potted, in order for 

 moving to a warm situation in winter, or some into frames, &c., to 

 have occasional shelter from frost, by glasses or mats, as they shall 

 require ; hardening them, however, by degrees, to bear the open air 

 fully in the nursery the year round. 



And the most tender kinds that require the aid of a green-house 

 or stove, must all be potted and placed among the respective plants 

 of those conservatories. 



GENERAL CULTURE OF THE PLANTS OF THIS DEPARTMENT. 



With respect to the management of the various hardy nursery 

 plants : 



Those designed as stocks for fruit-trees should have their stems 

 generally cleared from lateral shoots, so as to form a clean, straight 

 stem, but never to shorten the leading shoot until it is decayed, or 

 becomes very crooked, in which case it may be proper to cut it down 

 low in spring, and it will shoot out again, training the main shoot 

 for a stem, with its top entire for the present, till grafted or budded. 



But in the above nursery culture of the fruit-tree kind, some sorts 

 designed for principal wall or espalier trees should, when of one year's 

 growth from grafting and budding, be transplanted against some close 

 fence in the nursery, either a wall, paling, or trellis, &c., and . their 

 first graft or bud- shoot headed down in the spring, to promote an 

 emission of lower lateral shoots and branches, in order to be regularly 

 trained to the fence in a spreading manner for two years or more, or 



