236 THE NURSERY-MANUAL 



house. Change the water on the seeds every day, and at the end 

 of a week or ten days mix with sand and place in a thin layer in the 

 hotbed. Stir frequently to prevent molding. When the seeds 

 begin to sprout, sow them in the open ground. This operation, 

 which is sometimes called " pipping," may be performed in a small 

 way near the kitchen stove. Seeds are sometimes " pipped "be- 

 tween moist blankets. The more common method at present is 

 to mix the seed with moist sand, which is stirred occasionally. 

 When the seeds begin to swell, in about a month, they are sown 

 either in the coldframe or in the field. 



When sowing is made in the fall, the seeds may be sown in the 

 pomace. This entails extra labor in sowing, but it saves the labor 

 of washing. This practice gives good results if the pomace is finely 

 broken, and it is now common among nurserymen. 



In loose and well-drained soils, sowing is undoubtedly best per- 

 formed in the fall, just as early as the seeds are ready. But on 

 land that holds much water and heaves with frost or contains 

 much clay, spring sowing is preferable. In spring, the seeds should 

 be sown as soon as the ground can be worked. 



If the stocks are to be cultivated with a horse, the rows should 

 be 3 or 3^ feet apart. Some growers sow in narrow drills and some 

 in broad ones. The broad drills are usually 6 to 10 inches wide. 

 The earth is removed to the depth of 2 to 3 inches, if it is loose and 

 in good condition, the seed is scattered thinly on the surface and 

 the earth hoed back over them. If the ground is likely to bake, the 

 seeds should not be sown so deep ; and it is always well, in such 

 cases, to apply a very light and clean mulch. The plants should 

 be well cultivated, and they should attain a height of 6 to 12 

 inches or more the first year. If the plants come thickly, they 

 must be thinned. 



In the autumn of the first year the seedlings should be large 

 enough to be dug and sold to general nurserymen. Sometimes 

 the poorest plants are allowed to stand another year, but they are 

 usually so scattering that they do not pay for the use of the land, 

 and they should be transplanted the same as the larger stock, or 

 the weakest ones may be thrown away. The stocks are dug with 

 a plow or tree-digger and heeled-in closely, so that the leaves 

 " sweat " and fall off. The plants are then stored in sand, moss 

 or sawdust in a cellar. Before they are planted, the tops are cut 

 off near the crown, usually with a hatchet on a block ; or if to be 

 used for budding, 10 to 12 inches or more of the top is left on. 



