380 THE NURSERY [MAY. 



ciency of the best, for a proper choice in the general winter prun- 

 ing. 



It will not be proper at this time to cultivate the ground between 

 the vines, as many accidents might happen thereby, to the blossoms 

 and young shoots : but towards the end of the month, or when alt 

 the vines have had their first tying up, (for this must be repeated as 

 they advance in growth,) you should give the ground a general 

 cleaning, either by hoe or plough, Sec. as most convenient. 



THE NURSERY. 



Destroy Weeds. 



THERE is nothing more important at this season, than the 

 destruction of weeds, in all parts of the nursery, for if you let any 

 of them perfect seeds, your ground will be thereby, stocked for 

 years ; therefore, the hoe must be applied wherever you can use 

 it, and always be careful to rake and carry away such as you hoe 

 or pull up, for if left lying on the surface, or in the allies, many of 

 them would there ripen seed, which would afterwards considerably 

 encrease your labour. Weeds should never be suffered to grow 

 between the rows of trees, &c. for those rob them of a great por- 

 tion of the necessary nourishment ; nor should you, for the same 

 reason, ever plant any kitchen vegetables between them, as is prac- 

 tised by some unskilful and covetous persons. 



The seed-beds of all young trees and shrubs, should now, in par- 

 ticular, be kept remarkably free from weeds, and this must always 

 be done, by a very careful hand-weeding. 



Watering the Seed-beds. 



If the weather should now prove dry, all the seed-beds, but parti- 

 cularly the evergreens, such as pines and firs, &c. ought to be fre- 

 quently watered, taking care not lo administer it too hastily, lest it 

 should wash the earth from about the young roots, and expose them, 

 too much to the sun, which would greatly retard their growth. 



Shading and Sifting Earth over Seedlings. 



All the slow growing and tender seedlings, especially the ever- 

 greens, should, after having newly come up, be occasionally shaded, 

 from the too powerful influence of the mid-day sun, which would 

 destroy a great number of them, particularly, while their small stems 

 are in a tender succulent state. 



There is nothing that will be more beneficial to the young seed- 

 lings, at this period of their growth, than to sift some fine., light 



