MARCH.] THE NURSERY. 259 



may treat the following, or any succeeding spring, as the West- 

 phalians do the hornbeam, noticed in page 256. 



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

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

 The seeds, if sown in March, covered very lightly, and when up 

 kept free from weeds, will grow prosperously, 



Black Thorn Hedges. 



The blackthorn or sloe, is a tolerable 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 prunifolium^ 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 

 respect as directed for haws. 



Note When you have but small quantities of such seeds as rer 



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 

 seeds, as before directed, early in the second spring ; or you may use 

 shallow 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 sumr 

 mer with moss, or any thing that will keep the earth moderately 

 moist, the better ; or, during that season, you may plant the pots 

 or boxes in some shady border. 



Additional Observations on Hedges. 



It- is very ineligible to mix two or more kinds of plants in any 

 hedge, for they seldom grow equally, and the more vigorous sort 

 will destroy the other ; nor is it proper, for the same reason, to 

 plant trees intended for timber among either. 



Should you have a variety of the preceding kinds in forwardness 

 for planting, it would be proper to observe, in the surrounding 

 country, what soil and situation each kind thrives best in, when 

 growing in a wild and uncultivated state, which will enable you to 



