224 THE NURSERY* 



rife this fpring ; therefore, the greateft care muft 

 be had not to deface the beds or drills in which 

 they ftand. If the earth be turned upfide down, 

 the feeds which would otherwife have rifen will 

 probably be too deep buried, or, it may be, laid 

 upon the furface quite bare of covering. The 

 utmoft attention to avoid fuch evils is requifite. 



The bed method is to eafe the plants gently 

 with a fork, but fo as not to turn over the earth : 

 by fo doing the plants will come up readily by a 

 gentle pull. In the operation of eafing the feed- 

 lings, the fork is to be put ftraight down to the 

 depth of the roots : one fide of the bed is as far 

 as a perfon eafmg feedlings can reach to at once ; 

 therefore the easer mud go round the bed, in or- 

 der to perform his work completely. 



After the eafing of the feedling thorns is per* 

 formed, the plants are to be pulled up, and, as 

 they are pulled, laid quite evenly in the hand ; 

 an hundred is as many as can be conveniently 

 held at a time. In the operation of pulling, care 

 muft be had not to draw the plants to one fide, 

 but perpendicularly ; fo as to keep the furface of 

 the bed quite ftraight. If the weather be dry, 

 they muft be inftantiy shoughed, in fuch a way as 

 that a thoufand may occupy about two yards ia 

 length ; in which ftate they may lye till they b<S 

 finally planted out. 



the pulling of the feediings is over, the 



beds 



