Jan.'] THE NURSERY. 137 



mats, fo as to fecure them againft the feverities 

 of the weather, to which they otherwife might 

 be expofed, greatly to their hurt. It is alfo ne- 

 ceflary that all the plants which have to lye any 

 time at the field of planting, be skoughed, the bet- 

 ter to fecure and protect them from injury. 



OF GATHERING FIR CONES. 



Now is a proper feafon to collect Larch cones. 

 Be careful to gather only from fuch trees as ap- 

 pear to have ripened their cones. Thefe can ea- 

 fijy be afcertained, by cutting the fide of one or 

 two cones taken from the tree : Cut in as far as the 

 feat of the feeds ; if three or four good feeds are 

 found in the fide, they are prime cones. After 

 gathering, they fhould be laid upon a dry lofr, 

 till the feafon of taking out the feed arrive. Scots 

 fir, Spruce-fir, Silver-fir, and Balm of Gilead fir, 

 may alfo now be gathered, and prefer ved as above 

 advifed for the larch. It is of great importance, 

 in the fecuring of a crop of any of the fir tribe, 

 to have the feeds taken out of the cones as near 

 to the time of fowing as poffible. The feeds will 

 keep good in the cones for a year or two ; but 

 after being taken out they fpoil, and will not 

 grow, after a few months keeping. 



ORNA- 



