March.] THE NURSERY. ^69 



dress and lop oft" any projecting or straggling branches at the sides 

 to within six inches of the hedge, and the work is finished. 



Never lay your plashes too upright, but near to a level; by so 

 doing, the sap will the better break out in several places, for the 

 production and nourishment of a number of young side shoots, and 

 not run so much to the ends, as it would if laid at a higher eleva- 

 tion. Also avoid crowding your plashes too much, and never lay 

 in more than can conveniently be wove between the stakes, by which 

 the young productions will have the benefit of the air, and grow 

 much stronger than otherwise. 



Old overgrown fences, which have been planted in the hedge 

 and ditch way, may be all cut clean off' with the saw, within six 

 inches of their roots, and the fallen earth in the bottom of the ditch 

 dug up and laid at the back of them; they will shoot vigorously, 

 and soon form a fine fresh hedge. 



Large ground hedges will be improved by cutting them down at 

 intervals of ten or fifteen years, to the height of three, four, or five 

 feet, and where vacancies occur, to fill them with plashing, always 

 preferring, on these occasions, the saw to the bill, especially when 

 the shoots are large. 



The Plane, Tulip, and Nettle Trees. 



The Plalanus occidentulis, or plane-tree, commonly called the 

 large buttonwood, and in some places, though very improperly, 

 sycamore, is a valuable tree for shade and many other useful pur- 

 poses. It may be propagated, either by cuttings, layers, or seed; 

 but the last method is much preferable to either of the former, not 

 only with respect to this, but to every other tree bearing seed, 

 which may be cultivated for its timber; and although it may appear 

 more tedious at first, it will in the end be found the most expedi- 

 tious and profitable. They maybe sown either in November, when 

 ripe, or in March, first breaking the balls of seed, and separating 

 them effectually, mixing them with some dry earth or sand, and 

 then sowing them even on the surface of prepared four feet wide 

 beds in the nursery, and covering them about a quarter of an inch 

 deep, or a little more, if the earth is fine and light: too deep covering 

 is injurious to all kinds of seed; for nature never designed more than 

 a sufficiency to promote and give action to vegetation. They will 

 come up the first season, and the next or succeeding vear may be 

 planted into nursery rows. 



The Liriodcndron tulipifcra, or tulip-tree, commonly, but very 

 improperly called poplar, is best propagated by seed, which should 

 be sown in November when ripe, or preserved in sand or earth till 

 March, and then sown, covering them half an inch deep. Those 

 sown in November will all grow the spring following; but, if kept 

 out of the ground in a dry state till spring, a great number of them 

 will nut vegetate till the next year. 



The Cellis occidentalis, or nettle-tree, is propagated by seed, 

 which, if sown in November when ripe, or preserved in earth or 

 sand till March, and then sown, will generally vegetate the same 



