274 TIIE NURSERV [Mi*c". 



grow- The stones are shorter than those of the Italian pine, and 

 full as thick. The wood is short, having scarcely any grain, and 

 very tit for the carver. The peasants of the Tyrol, where this tree 

 abounds, make various sorts of carved works with the wood, which 

 they dispose of in Switzerland among the common people, who are 

 fond of the resinous smell which it exhales. Both the varieties 

 may he cultivated in the same manner as directed for the Italian 

 stone pine. 



All the other species and varieties of pines and firs may be suc- 

 cessfully raised in the following manner. 



Being provided with good fresh seeds, for on this every thing 

 depends, prepare for their reception, as early in the spring as your 

 ground will work free and light, and pulverize finely in the working, 

 beds three or four feet wide, of rich loamy ground, by no means 

 subject to burn or become parched with the summer heats; then 

 sow the seeds on the surface so thick, as that you may expect after 

 all reasonable allowances for defective seeds, &.c. al/eas/, aplant on 

 every inch square of the ground, or at the rate of a pound of good 

 seed to a bed three feet and a half wide and sixty long. The sowing 

 of them so thick is indispensable, for unless they completely cover 

 the surface, they will, if not carefully shaded, be destroyed in their 

 infant state by the summer heat; early sowing is also necessary, 

 for they have nothing to apprehend from subsequent frosts, that 

 their roots may be established before the heat overtakes them. 

 After the seeds are sown, sift over the smaller sized kinds about a 

 quarter of an inch of fine, rich, light mould, and over the larger, 

 nearly half an inch, then place over the beds nets made for that 

 purpose, or any old small meshed fishing-nets, to keep oft' the birds, 

 for all the kinds, when lightly covered, which is indispensable to 

 their growth, generally carry up the seeds on their tops, and if 

 attacked by birds, which are extremely fond of them, the far greater 

 number will be destroyed. 



The beds must be kept completely free from weeds of any 

 kind, from the moment the seeds are sown during the continuance 

 of the plants therein; and if you perceive their leaves turn foxy in 

 summer, by heat or drought, it will be necessary to give them occa- 

 sional shade and water. In the month of June following, sift some 

 fine, light, rich earth over the beds, so as to just come up to the 

 foliage without covering it, which will protect their yet tender 

 stems, prevent their being scalded by extraordinary heat, which 

 often melts them away, so as to fall tlat, whilst the foliage appears 

 fresh; and besides, it will help to retain the moisture about their 

 roots and fibres. 



The spring following, early in April, or as soon as you perceive 

 an inclination in the buds to push, pull up the largest grown plants, 

 of such kinds as have arrived at the height of three inches or up- 

 wards, but not otherwise, and plant them in drills made with a hoe 

 or spade for their reception, eighteen inches or two feet asunder, 

 and eight inches plant from plant in the rows, just so deep as that 

 the earth may come up to their foliage; close it well about the roots, 

 and water them occasionally till sufficiently taken with the earth 



