152 THE NURSERY. I Feb. 



When you collect these seeds in autumn, mix them with equal 

 quantities of light sandy earth, and lay them in that state on the 

 surface of a dry spot of ground in your best enclosed garden, where 

 they cannot be disturbed by hogs, &c; form this mixture into a nar- 

 row sloping ridge, tapering to the top, and covering it with light 

 loose earth two inches thick all over; the April following turn this 

 ridge, mixing the whole together, and form it again in the same wav, 

 covering in like manner as before witli two inches deep of light 

 loose earth; repeat this again in the months of July and August, by 

 which the seeds in every part will be equally prepared for vegeta- 

 tion. A trench must be cut round this ridge to prevent any water 

 from lodging about the seeds, for this would rot many and injure 

 others, especially in the second winter, when the stones would be 

 loosing their cementing quality, and begin to open; for until this is 

 effected, the kernels cannot vegetate. Hence the necessity and 

 great advantage of not burying the stones in the earth, as injudi- 

 ciously practised by many; for if so treated, they would not have 

 the advantage destined by nature for their due preparation, and 

 would labour under may other disadvantages, as hereafter noticed. 



It is well known, that many kinds of seeds when buried in the 

 earth below the power of vegetation, remain in an inactive state for 

 several years, even those whose nature it is to vegetate the first 

 season when properly exposed; how much more so must it be with 

 seeds of such tardy vegetation as haws, and many other sorts; but 

 by being thus exposed to the influence of the sun and air, and fre- 

 quently turned as before directed, all become equally and suffi- 

 ciently prepared, and will not fail when sowed in due season and 

 suitable soil to reward the judicious cultivator with an abundant 

 crop. 



When those seeds are buried deep, and not mixed with a due 

 quantity of earth as before observed, they are subject to ferment 

 too powerfully, and also to be injured by too much wet, and will 

 never be found, more especially when large quantities of them are 

 together, to vegetate equally — those near the surface and sides of 

 the pit doing tolerably well — some of the others not growing until 

 a full year after being sowed, and the greater number not at all. 



There is not the least danger to be apprehended from frost in- 

 juring the seeds whilst so much exposed to it in those ridges; how- 

 ever, it will not be amiss to strew a light covering of long litter 

 over them on the approach of winter, which will keep them dry, 

 and consequently in a better state for sowing when the season ar- 

 rives. 



The above mode oi preparation is the result of the Author's ex- 

 perience for upwards of twenty years, being in the habit of raising 

 several millions of thorn quicks annually. 



Your haws being prepared as above, make ready a piece of good 

 rich ground, neither upon an elevated situation, nor too low; in the 

 former, the summer drought would be unfriendly, and in the latter, 

 they would be subject to mildew: this must be done as early in 

 spring as you can get the ground to work freely and pulverize well: 

 for the haws begin to throw out roots at a very early period, and 



