IV. 
ON NURSERY GROUND, MANURES, rc. 
Exposure.—Nursery ground should be moderately exposed 
and elevated, with a free circulation of the atmosphere, that 
it may be exempt as far as possible from the severity of frost, 
which in spring and in summer is often found to prevail in 
low, damp, and hollow situations. 
The aspect or direction of the slope of the surface is not of 
very much importance. Yet it is desirable to have various 
exposures when such can be easily obtained ; but level land 
of good quality is found to suit all purposes. Although a 
northern aspect in some situations is apt to retain frost till 
late in spring, which is sometimes inconvenient for the inser- 
tion, or removal of plants at that season, yet it is generally the 
best for raising evergreens from cuttings, and the safest for the 
growth of all plants like the larch and silver fir, which are apt 
to spring early, and which suffer from late frost, in the opening 
up of the season. (Directions, however, shall be given under 
the names of the respective trees, by which such casualties 
may be averted, or greatly mitigated on ground of any aspect.) 
Soil._—The best soil for the ordinary purposes of a nursery 
for forest trees is a sandy loam two feet deep, friable and easily 
worked, free from stones, with a dry subsoil or thorough 
drainage ; all sorts of moorland, ferruginous, or retentive sub- 
soils, have an injurious influence, by retarding the ripening of 
the summer’s growth of plants. It is, however, an advantage 
to have a variety of soil in a nursery ; a heavier or stronger 
soil than that described, though not suitable for seedlings, is 
well adapted for larger plants. A sandy peat soil, and all 
soft open soils that do not get bound up with alternate mois- 
ture and drought, yield the most fibrous roots, and from such, 
