282 THE NURSERY. [MARCH 



preserved in the siliques or pods till March, and then sown ; or it 

 may be propagated either by layers or suckers. 



The Liquidambar styraciflua, or maple-leaved sweet-gum, grows 

 freely from seed sown early in spring. 



The Annona triloba, or common papaw, is a hardy plant, and may 

 be propagated by sowing the seed about an inch deep, either in Octo- 

 ber, November, or March. 



The Diospyros virginiana, persimmon, or American date plum, is 

 best cultivated from seed sown in autumn, soon after ripe, or in 

 March ; if kept up till spring, some of them will not vegetate till 

 the second year after sowing. 



CHESTNUTS, WALNUTS, HICKORIES, AND OAKS. 



About the middle of this month plant the nuts of the European 

 and American eatable chestnuts, also of the horsechestnut, and like- 

 wise of the different varieties of walnuts and hickories, which you 

 wish to propagate. All the above kinds should be sown in drills, 

 first throwing the nuts into a tub of water, and rejecting such of them 

 as swim, covering them with light rich mould about two inches deep. 

 The drills may be three feet asunder, and the nuts planted about six 

 or eight inches from one another in the rows. 



The different varieties of oak succeed best when sown immediately 

 after being ripe j but in that case, they have to encounter the depre- 

 dations of mice, squirrels, &c., to avoid which, they may be kept in 

 earth or sand till this time : but as most of them will be sprouted, 

 you are to take them carefully up, without breaking the radicles, 

 and plant them in drills two feet asunder, covering the acorns not 

 more than three-quarters, or, at most, an inch deep, with light loose 

 mould. 



The whole of the above kinds may remain in these seed-drills for 

 two years, keeping them at all times very free from weeds ; and as 

 they are generally, but more particularly the walnut kinds, subject 

 to push down long tap-roots, and not to form many lateral ones, it 

 will be proper, nay it will be necessary, in order to insure success 

 in transplanting, when they have had one or two years' growth, to 

 open, in the spring, a small trench close to each row, and then with 

 a very sharp spade to cut the descending roots about six or eight 

 inches under ground, casting back the earth when done. This will 

 cause them to throw out a number of laterals, and the spring follow- 

 ing you can transplant them with safety into nursery rows, at greater 

 distances, to remain till wanted to plant out where finally intended. 



ROBINIA, OR LOCUST-TREE. 



The Robinia pseudo-acacia, or common locust-tree, is said to be 

 superior to any other kind of wood for ship runnels, mill cogs, and 

 fence posts, as well as for various other purposes. Its culture is very 

 easy, as it may be propagated in great abundance by collecting the 

 seeds in autumn when ripe, preserving them dry till March, then 

 sowing them in a bed of good sandy loam, which is their favorite soil, 



