MARCH] THE NURSERY. 27 7< 



large truncheons, as directed for the elder. Either of these you may 

 treat the following, or any succeeding spring, as the Westphalians do 

 the hornbeam, noticed on page 274. 



The alder is sometimes made use of as a fence in moist, swampy 

 places; it is propagated abundantly by suckers, layers, or seed. The 

 seed, if sown in March, covered very lightly, and when up kept free 

 from weeds, will grow prosperously. 



BLACK-THORN HEDGES. 



The black-thorn, or sloe, is a tolerably good shrub for a fence, but 

 is subject to spread too much by suckers, by which it can be propa- 

 gated ; but the best plants are always produced from the stones of the 

 fruit, collected when ripe, and then sown or preserved in sand or 

 earth till early in March, when you are to sow and cover them near an 

 inch deep. They will vegetate the first season. 



PLUM-LEAVED VIBURNUM HEDGES. 



The Viburnum pruni/olium, or black haw, is an indigenous plant, 

 and well adapted for hedges. It may be propagated in abundance 

 by collecting the berries in autumn, and managing them in every re- 

 spect as directed for haws. 



Note. When you, have but small quantities of such seeds as re- 

 quire a year's preparation previous to sowing, you may mix them with 

 light sandy earth, which mixture put into garden pots, first placing 

 a hollow shell, or something similar, with the concave side under, 

 over the hole in the bottom of each, the better to suffer any extra 

 moisture to pass off; then place the pots in some dry border up to 

 their rims in the earth, but not deeper, observing to cast out the 

 whole contents, rubbing and mixing it well together three or four 

 times in the course of the following summer, and to sow the seed, 

 as before directed, early in the second spring, j or you may use shal- 

 low boxes not deeper than six or eight inches, having their bottoms 

 perforated with several holes, and covered with shells, &c., but by 

 no means sink them in the earth deeper 'than their edges, as you have 

 nothing to fear from the frost ; but if covered in summer with moss, 

 or anything that will keep the earth moderately moist, the better ; 

 or, during that season, you may plant the pots or boxes in some 

 shady border. 



OSAGE APPLE (MACLURA AURANTIACA). 



The first of these plants introduced into this country, was brought 

 by Messrs. Lewis and Clark, from the Rocky Mountains, and pre- 

 sented to the author. It was esteemed by the Indians for making 

 bows, and hence they called it bow-wood. It ought to be in the col- 

 lection of every person having trees or shrubbery, as its foliage is 

 extremely rich and beautiful, in which it bears a close resemblance 

 to the orange. The fruit (which is said to be eaten by the Indians^), 

 is a large globular ball of a beautiful green color, composed of a 



