976 PRACTICE OF GARDENING. PART III. 



fir-seeds, like those of the larch, only the covering should not be less than half, nor more than three 

 quarters of an inch. 



6991. The seeds of the silver fir and pinaster require the same sort of treatment as those of the larch. 

 " They must not be sown to rise nearer one another than three in an inch. The covering should be a 

 full inch thick, and performed with great accuracy : for if any of the seeds be left too lightly covered, or 

 if any of them be too deeply covered, they will alike be destroyed." (Plant. Kal. 332.) 



6992. The seed of the Weymouth and stone pines may be treated like those of the Scotch pine, but the 

 former covered three quarters of an inch thick, and the latter an inch and a quarter. Sang states, that 

 the only way to get stately trees of these, as of most of the pine tribe, is to sow them where they are to 

 rise into timber. 



6993. The white American spruce-seeds " are smaller than those of any of the preceding kinds, and there- 

 fore require a lighter covering than any of them. One fifth of an inch is quite sufficient. They should be 

 sown on a piece of fine dry sandy loam, and be covered with earth of rotten leaves of trees to the above 

 thickness, by sifting it upon them." (Plant. Kal. 333.) 



6994. The seeds of black and red American spruce fir " are very small and tender. They are still smaller 

 than the seeds of the white American spruce, and therefore require a covering still lighter than men- 

 tioned for it The black and red American spruce should be sown on rich boggy earth, which has been 

 made very fine ; and should be covered as lightly as possible. Rich mossy earth, containing a good por- 

 tion of white sand answers best. This should be sifted over the seeds with a fine sieve. Neither of these 

 American spruces will allow the roller to pass over them previous to covering. The whole of them should 

 b? shaded from the mid-day sun in the time of coming up, and for some time after, by means of hoops and 

 matting, or spruce fir branches stuck in the opposite alleys, so as to form an arch over the beds." 



6995. Cedar of Lebanon seeds should be sown in boxes of light sandy loam ; or on a spot of properly 

 prepared well sheltered soil, and covered half an inch : the red and white cedar-seeds may be similarly 

 treated, covering a quarter of an inch thick. Arbor-vita? seeds will come up best under a frame or hand- 

 glass : they should be sown on light sandy soil, and covered a quarter of an inch. 



6996. The strictest attention should be paid to the foregoing directions, both in regard to quality of soil, 

 and thickness of covering the seed ; for, though resinous trees are extremely hardy when grown up, yet 

 they are all very tender in infancy. The raising regular crops of this tribe is, therefore, justly reckoned 

 the masterpiece of nursery culture in the open ground ; and is supposed to be best understood in the 

 northern counties. 



6997. Transplanting. This tribe benefit less by transplanting than the non-resinous 

 trees ; and therefore where circumstances admit, the better plan is, after the seedlings 

 have stood two years in the seed-bed, to remove them where they are finally to remain. 

 The exceptions are those sorts which are transplanted into pots, as the cedars and cy- 

 presses, and some of the more delicate pines, which may be kept in the nursing state, in 

 pots, several years, as their roots can be turned out entire. About the middle of April 

 is the proper time for transplanting all the resinous tribe, excepting the larch ; for, as this 

 tree pushes earlier than the others, it should be transplanted in February and March. 

 The first operation common to all seedlings is to loosen the roots of the plants in the 

 seed-bed with a fork, so as, when drawn out by the hand, they may come up with all 

 their fibres entire. The ground, which must be mellow, need not be so rich as for sow- 

 ing the seeds ; being previously prepared, they should be immediately planted in the 

 trench manner. (208.5.) The Scotch pine is generally planted in lines twelve inches apart, 

 and the plants a foot distant in the lines ; if intended to remain two years in the lines, 

 they should be placed six inches apart in the line ; but they always rise with the best 

 roots, after being only one year transplanted. The spruce and balm of Gilead firs 

 should generally be transplanted at two years ; but, if weak in the seed-bed, may remain 

 till the third year. They should be planted at the same distances as the Scotch pine, in 

 humid rich earth. The silver fir may be treated in the same manner, but it requires ra- 

 ther more space. If to be nursed only one year, they may be planted in lines nine 

 inches apart, and at six inches' distance in the lines ; but if to remain two years, then fif- 

 teen inches between tfce lines, and eighteen inches in the line will be necessary. The 

 Weymouth pine should be transplanted at two years into a well pulverised, rich, and sub- 

 humid soil, where it should remain two years before final planting ; distance between the 

 lines twelve inches, and from plant to plant eight inches. 



6998. The pinaster and stone pine generally rise to well sized plants the first season after sowing, and 

 should then be transplanted into a rich well comminuted soil, rather sandy and dry, at nine inches be- 

 tween the lines, and four inches apart in the lines. After remaining there one year, they should be re- 

 moved to their final situation. Great care is requisite in moving these plants, especially the stone pine, 

 which sends down very long roots. 



6999. The white American spruce, after remaining two years in the seed-bed, should be nursed two years 

 in rich sandy and rather dry soil, in lines distant twelve inches, and the plants six inches apart in the 

 lines. The black and red American spruce are much more delicate than the white. After being two 

 years in the seed-bed, they should be planted out in beds of sandy or subpeaty soil, at six inches apart, to 

 stand for one year ; at the end of this period, they should be lifted and planted in rows at the same dis- 

 tances as the white American spruce. 



7000. The cedar of Lebanon, when one year old, should be lifted and planted in pots of the finest soil ; 

 or in lines, at the same distance as the silver fir ; after being two years nursed, it should be removed to its 

 final situation, as it never does much good if planted finally at a greater age, unless in pots, which is much 

 the best method. The red and white cedars and cypress may remain two years in the seed-bed, and then 

 be treated like the cedar of Lebanon. 



7001. The larch may be moved from the seed-bed into the nursing lines, at one or two years. The soil 

 to receive them should be soft, tender, and prepared by a crop of esculent vegetables with dung the pre- 

 ceding season ; but they should never be planted in land newly manured with fresh dung. One year's 

 seedlings, to be nursed one year, should be planted four inches apart in the lines ; but if to stand for two 

 years, five inches, and fifteen inches between the lines. The two years' seedlings should be sized, as in 

 the seed-bed they never all rise to the same height ; the larger size may be placed six inches apart in the 

 lines, and twelve or fourteen inches between the lines, to stand one year ; the smaller, at five inches, and a 

 foot, for standing the same period : they should then be removed to their final situation. 



.. 700& Care of the roots. No description of tree-plants receive so much injury from the loss of rooU ; 



