JAN.] THE NURSERY. 51 



hardened to the open ground, and need only be covered in frosty 

 weather ; at all other times let them remain fully exposed, and by 

 degrees, as they acquire age and strength, inure them to bear the 

 open air fully ; so as, when they arrive at from two or three, to four 

 or five years old, they may be turned out into the open ground. 

 The sorts requiring this treatment, are pointed out under their 

 proper heads, in the different months. 



The green-house kinds of all sorts, or such as require constant 

 shelter in winter, are to be managed as directed under the article 



GREEN-HOUSE. 



And the hot-house or stove-plants, or such as require constant 

 shelter all, or the greater part of the year, together with the aid of 

 artificial heat, are to be managed as exhibited under the article HOT- 

 HOUSE. 



Work to be done in the Nursery. 



Young apple and pear trees, may now be pruned, agreeably to 

 the rules laid down in March : though, if your stock of these, is 

 not very numerous ; and that you are desirous to have so much 

 work done out of the way, when the hurry of business comes on in 

 spring ; it will be quite as well, to defer doing it, till the end of 

 February, or beginning of March. 



Trim up the stems of forest, and other hardy trees, where they 

 require it ; this may be done, when little else can, in the nursery ; 

 for, if it is performed in frosty weather, the trees will receive no 

 harm by the operation, especially, the hardy deciduous kinds. 



Carry well rotted dung, or compost, and lay it on such parts of 

 the nursery as require it. This may be necessary to such particu- 

 lar quarters as have been lately cleared, and that are intended to be 

 planted again with a fresh stock in autumn, taking off a summer 

 crop of vegetables, previous thereto ; and when the frost permits, 

 let it be trenched in regularly, one full spade deep at least. If ne- 

 cessity requires it, this ground may be planted with young trees, 

 Sec. in spring. 



In severe weather, when out-work cannot be done, make label- 

 sticks, and have them in readiness when wanted, to mark the va- 

 rious kinds, and varieties, of fruit and forest trees, shrubs, plants, 

 Sec. which you intend to plant or propagate in spring ; the largest 

 to mark rows of fruit trees, Sec. should be about the size of a coach- 

 wheel spoke, and for sake of durability, made of white oak, or some 

 other good durable wood, with the numbers marked, or painted 

 thereon ; such will last you for several years : small kinds, for la- 

 beling flowers, or the various sorts of small seeds, which' you in^ 

 tend to sow, may be made of old or new shingles} or pieces of good 

 pine, cut and split to such lengths as you desire ; form these neatly, 

 and when you are going to use them, rub one side of the upper end, 

 for about two inches with white oil-colour paint ; on which, 'while yet 

 wet, write your number, or the name of the plant at full length, 

 with a black-lead pencil ; this will endure any kind of weather, for 

 one year at least ; and be legible for several years, when placed in 

 pots, with GREEN-HOUSE, or HOT-HOUSE plants. 



