414 THE NURSERY. [June. 



have a worse appearance than a nursery overgrown with weeds; 

 therefore, this caution cannot be too often repeated. Observe also, 

 to keep the seed-beds in which the seeds of trees and shrubs were 

 sown, perfectly clean, for these plants being young, are soon greatly 

 injured, if not totally destroyed, when overrun with weeds. 



The beds of small young tender seedlings should now be shaded 

 from the mid -day sun, particularly the pines, firs, and other ever- 

 greens in general; and also the more delicate and rare deciduous 

 trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. They, however, must not be 

 kept close nor shaded too long a time, for that would draw them 

 up weak and tender; therefore, give but a slight shading from about 

 ten to four or five o'clock, and that only when the sun is powerful 

 and no clouds interrupt its rays. 



The more choice sorts of new planted trees, that is, such as were 

 planted late in the spring should have occasional waterings; and 

 observe to renew the mulch about their roots where it is decayed; 

 for at this season the moisture of the earth will be soon exhaled 

 and the young fibres dried up when this is neglected, besides it 

 will save much trouble in watering. 



The seedling-beds of all kinds of trees and shrubs, but more 

 especially the evergreens, will require frequent waterings in dry 

 weather; let it always be given late in the afternoon, frequently 

 and moderately, as observed in page 388. 



Transplanting Seedling Pines and Firs. 



It has been advised by some writers on gardening, of considera- 

 ble celebrity, to plant out in this month pines, firs, &c. from the 

 seed-beds; and asserted "that they would be much stronger and 

 better prepared to live through the winter by this treatment than if 

 suffered to remain in the seed-beds, as their roots would be fixed 

 in the ground and their stems shorter." The reverse of this I 

 have experienced in upwards of twenty years' practice, and there- 

 fore have here noticed it, lest my readers should be led astray by 

 such respectable authorities. The true method of treating these 

 and such plants is, frequently during the summer months, as they 

 advance in growth, to sift some loose earth over them in the seed- 

 beds till it comes up to the seed leaves, by which the stems are 

 protected, and, as it were, shortened without disturbing their roots 

 or checking their growth; and, besides, it tends to keep the mois- 

 ture confined to the earth by preventing its too sudden evaporation, 

 and the loose sifted mould attracts the dews and imbibes the rains, 

 when such fall, by which means the plants are kept cool, moist, and 

 in a constant growing state. 



Propagating Evergreens and other Trees and Shrubs by Layers. 



Most kinds of evergreens and deciduous trees and shrubs may 

 now be propagated bv laving the present year's shoots; being soft 

 and tender, they will emit roots much more freely than the older 

 wood; and several sorts that would not root for two years if laid in 



