Jan.1 the nursery. 



51 



It* an animal was to be only half fed, from its first having life, for 

 one year, I believe that such would never grow to be of a lar«-e size 

 of its kind, if afterwards it was put into better keeping; but suppose 

 it was put to harder fare, it would certainly make a poor figure. 

 If this same animal had been moderately fed for one year, and then 

 put into worse feeding, it would have made a better beast. 



Some will say that these observations are unnecessary, as the 

 ground in which fruit trees are generally planted is for the most 

 part good, being particularly selected for that purpose, and that a 

 soil similar thereto will do very well; granted, provided the ground 

 be naturally good; but if these people had a large extent of poor 

 gravelly soil, or stiff clay, to plant with forest or ornamental trees, 

 live hedges, &c, would they seek out a similar spot for a nursery, 

 to raise plants for planting the same? If so, they would discover 

 their mistake when too late. This is the error I wish to correct, 

 being very desirous that every attempt towards this kind of im- 

 provement should prove successful; and in order to effect this, it 

 is necessary to set out on right principles. 



It is very wrong to enrich nurseries with dung, particularly 

 until it is very old, and almost turned into earth; although many 

 eminent nurserymen dung their ground very plentifully, yet they 

 do it with great judgment, and never plant trees until it is well 

 rooted and mixed with the mould, so as to be quite incorporated, 

 and generally take a crop or two of vegetables before they plant 

 trees therein. 



It is not absolutely necessary that the soil should be exceedingly 

 rich, nor over carefully manured; a medium between the two 

 extremes is best; such as any good substantial garden ground; or 

 good mellow pasture land, having the sward trenched to the bot- 

 tom, will do very well for the growth of trees. 



As to situation it ought to be somewhat low, but dry, fully 

 exposed to the sun and free air, and, if possible, where there is 

 the convenience of water for the occasional watering of young 

 seedlings and newly planted trees, &c. 



As to a small nursery for private, use, it may be formed out of 

 part of the kitchen garden, if large enough, or some other conve 

 nient place; or it may be made somewhere convenient to the 

 pleasure-ground, if any, and so contrived as to lead insensibly 

 into it by winding walks, so as to appear to be part of the same. 



Fences, Preparing and Laying out the Ground. 



A fence round the whole ground is necessary: this may either 

 be a hedge and ditch, or a paling; the former is the cheapest, and 

 in the end most durable; though in some place-; where rabbits 

 abound, paling fences at first are eligible for preserving the nur- 

 sery from the depredations of those animals which often do great 

 mischief to the young plants by barking and cropping them: I 

 good hedge and ditch fence, however, may be mado very effectual 

 against the inroads of both men and brutes; and the most eligible 



