May.] THE NURSERY. 3§g 



the vines have had their first tying up, (for this must be repeated 

 as they advance in growth,) you should give the ground a general 

 cleaning either by hoe or plough, &.c. as most convenient. 



THE NURSERY. 



Destroy Weeds. 



There is nothing more important at this season, than the destruc- 

 tion of weeds in all parts of the nursery, for if you let any of them 

 perfect seeds, your ground will thereby be stocked for years; there- 

 fore the hoe must be applied wherever you can use it, and always 

 be careful to rake and carry away all you hoe or pull up, for if left 

 lying on the surface or in the alleys, many of them would there 

 ripen seed which would afterwards considerably increase your 

 labour. Weeds should never be suffered to grow between the 

 rows of trees, &c, for those rob them of a great portion of the 

 necessary nourishment; nor should you, for the same reason, ever 

 plant any kitchen vegetables between them, as is practised by some 

 unskilful and covetous persons. 



The seed-beds of all young trees and shrubs should now, in par- 

 ticular, be kept remarkably free from weeds, and this must always 

 be done by a very careful hand-weeding. 



Watering the Seed-beds. 



If the weather should now prove dry, all the seed-beds, but par- 

 ticularly the evergreens, such as pines and firs, &c. ought to be 

 frequently watered, taking care not to administer it too hastily lest 

 it should wash the earth from about the young roots and expose 

 them too much to the sun, which would greatly retard their growth. 



Shading and Sifting Earth over Seedlings. 



All the slow growing and tender seedlings, especially the ever- 

 greens, should, after having newly come up, be occasionally shaded 

 from the too powerful influence of the midday sun, which would 

 destroy a great number of" them, particularly while their small 

 stems are in a tender succulent state. 



There is nothing that will be more beneficial to the young seed- 

 lings at this period of their growth than to sift some fine, light 

 earth over them, just as much and no more as will cover their 

 stems up to the seed leaves; this will keep their roots cool and 

 moist, and protect their stems from the power of the sun. The 

 pines and firs in particular, are very subject to be cut oft' when 

 young at the very surface of the ground, by the burning heat 

 thereof, melting away the yet soft and tender stems, while the 

 leaves do not appear in the least injured. 



