March.] THE NURSERY. 



273 



It is also to be remarked that all the pines have a tendency to 

 drive down tap-roots, and therefore are more impatient of trans- 

 planting than the firs, whose roots generally take a lateral direc- 

 tion. The larch is the only deciduous plant of the whole family. 

 As all these kinds are not only very useful, but extremely orna- 

 mental, and as none of them can be transplanted from the woods with 

 good success, I shall be the more minute in giving the true methods 

 of raising them, so as to insure thereby the growth and prosperity 

 of the plants. 



The Pinus cedrus, or cedar of Lebanon, is rather too tender for 

 those parts of the Union where the winter frosts are very rigorous; 

 but will succeed tolerably well in warm exposures in the middle 

 states, if protected from its violence for a few years, and be gradu- 

 ally inured thereto. The seeds when procured are always in the 

 cones, and are extremely difficult to be got out; the method is, 

 bore the cone through with a small gimlet direct in the centre, 

 entering it at the but-end and working out at top; then drive in a 

 round iron or hard wooden pin and split the cones, after which, 

 raise the scales one after another with a knife, and carefully pick 

 out the seeds, which are very tender. 



Having your seeds ready, sow them in a box of good fresh earth, 

 covering them near half an inch deep; in the middle states, the first 

 week in April will be the best time to do this, but early in March 

 will be preferable, if you have a green-house or hot-beds to place 

 the box therein; give them a little sprinkling of water frequently, 

 just what will be sufficient to keep the earth moist, for much would 

 rot or burst the seeds. When up, do not expose them too much 

 to the sun at any time during the season, nor keep them in too 

 confined a place; and on the approach of winter remove them into 

 the green-house, or place them under the protection of glasses, and 

 so treat them for two years, without removing them out of the seed- 

 box. Then, early in April, transplant them carefully into separate 

 pots, treating them all this time, and for two or three years more, 

 as you do green-house plants; after which, turn some of them with 

 the earth out of the pots, and plant them in dry warm exposures. 



The Pinus pinea, or Italian stone pine, grows to a considerable 

 height, and is cultivated chiefly for its nuts and the beauty of its 

 foliage. In Italy and the southern parts of Europe, the kernels are 

 frequently served up in desserts during the winter season, and are 

 as sweet as almonds, but have a slight flavour of turpentine. The 

 cones are generally four or five inches long, and when for some time 

 exposed to the sun, they open and drop out the nuts, which should 

 be sown towards the latter end of March in drills, and covered 

 about half or three quarters of an inch deep; when they have had 

 one or two years growth in these rows, cut their tap-roots as 

 directed for walnuts in page 270, and the next year you may trans- 

 plant them about the first week in April, either into nursery rows, 

 at greater distances, or where they are to remain. 



The Pinus cimbra, or Siberian stone pine. There is a variety 

 of this that grows in Switzerland, and higher up the Alps than any 

 other pine, and is found on elevations where the larch will not 

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