974 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



Part III. 



of a clayey nature : and another part should be mossy. Each of these will be found peculiarly useful in 

 the raising of the aifferent kinds of young plants. The whole should be well drained, and trenched, and 

 cropped with vegetables for one or even two years previously to sowing tree-seeds. For transplanting, it 

 may be used the first year. A nursery may certainly be over-sheltered ; " but this is likely to happen 

 only in the case of its being very small ; for, if it extend to several acres, unless it be surrounded by very 

 tall trees, the area will be considerably exposed. No part should be either too much exposed, or too 

 much sheltered. Any aspect from east to west, following the course of the sun, will answer. Ground of an 

 unequal surface is most likely to contain the various soils above mentioned. A nursery should, therefore, 

 in general, rise from a level to a pretty smart acclivity ; yet no part of it should be too steep, because it is 

 in that case very troublesome to labor. The nursery-ground may be sufficiently fenced by a stone wall, 

 or even a hedge six feet high ; and if it be of small size, an acre' or thereabouts, it will require no other 

 shelter ; but if it extend to four or five acres, it must have dividing hedges properly situated, to afford 

 shelter over all the space. The fence, whether of thorns or stone, should be made proof against the ad- 

 mission of hare* or rabbits. It should be subdivided into compartments and borders, of proportionate size 

 to the contents of the area, by walks. The compartments should never be encumbered with large trees, 

 as apples, pears, or the like ; because, being already established in the ground, they never fail to rob the 

 young trees of their food, and to cause them to lie poor and stunted, unworthy of being planted in the 

 forest. It would be very convenient to have a rill of water passing through the ground, or to have a small 

 pond, fed by a spring or a pipe, for the purpose of wntering." {Plant. Kal. 22.) 



6975. In p7-eparingthe soil for the culture of fjxes it will be advisable to trench it to its full depth, and 

 " necessary," the same author continues, " to give it a good dressing of lime or marl and dung in com- 

 post. Rank manure, such as stable-litter, should I'.ot be ajiplied to nursery-ground, at the time of crop, 

 ping, with nursery articles ; but if it be necessary to enrich it, this should be done by a manured crop of 

 onions, turnips, lettuces, or the like Potatoes should never go before a crop of seedlings, even of the 

 coarser sorts, as ash, oak, or chestnuts ; because potatoes never can be taken clean out of the ground ; 

 and it being indispeiisabk' to pull up those vhicii rise among tlie tree-seedlings, many of these unavoidably 

 come up along with them. Hence, crops of lettuces, turnips, c.^bbages, or the like, should rather pre- 

 cede the crop of seedlings. The best kind of management in this particular case, is to interchange the 

 crops of timber-trees and esculents occasionally ; perh;;ps, with respect to most sorts of seedling-plants, 

 alternately observing to sow all small seeds, in particular, if not in a rich, at least in a fine tilth." 

 {Plant. Kal. 24.) 



6976. For a private inirsery, he continues, " no jilace, certainly, can be more eligible than a field, 

 which may also be occupied as a kitchen-garden. If, for instance, three acres were required for the 

 purposes of nursery, and one or two acres were also required for e.xtra kitchen-ground, or for green crops 

 for cattle-fccding, it would be proper to enclose five or six acres, less or more, according to circumstances ; 

 by which means two important objects might be obtained, viz. land of a good quality, and fine tilth, for the 

 raising of seedlings ; and an opportunity of eflTectually changing crops at pleasure. Carrots are peculiarly 

 scourging tor a nursery, and, indeed, rather severe for most lands : but we have very seldom found a 

 good crop of trees following one of carrots ; while we have found peas, beans, and especially lettuces, 

 easy and enriching crops, well adapted as preparers for succeeding crops of nursery articles " 



6977. In so far as respects public nurseries, " we have long remarked, that those which are as much 

 market-gardens as nurseries, generally |)roduce the best jeedlings, and young articles, for sale; provided 

 that their ground be any thing more tlian of a middling quality. This fact, if one were wanting, is a suf- 

 ficient proof of the utility of occupying the ground as above advised, in the double character of a kitchen- 

 garden and nursery." 



6978. In a cold climate, or Ijlcah- situation, " with a poor barren soil, we would by no means advise the 

 raising of seedlings, either in public or private nurseries. It will be found a cheaper, as well as a more 

 satisfactory method, to purchase seedlings, transplant them, and nurse them till fit for final planting; 

 and, even, in this case, a piece of the best, and most sheltered land in the situation, will be neces.sary 

 for the purpose." {Plant. Kal. 2fi.) 



G979. A rotting-ground will be required for the preparation of certain seeds, by mixing them with sand, 

 ashes, or soil, and leaving them there for different periods, from six months to two years, to rot off their 

 interior coverings. On a small scale, a portion of the com})ost-groimd of the kitchen-garden may be 

 used for this purpose. If the scale is large, an area of a few square poles should be set apart for bed- 

 ding in plants taken up (or replanting, or what is called laying in by the heels, or shoughing : this is ge- 

 nerally called tlie bedding-ground or (in Scotland) the shoughing-ground. 



6980. Buildings. If the situation of the nursery be near to the kitchen-garden, and the latter have the 

 proper office-buildings (1701.), no other erection will be required for the nursery than a working-shed for 

 ordinary purposes, occasional shelter, and protection to newly taken up plants ; and for packing or tying 

 them up properly before sending them to their final situation, &c. Frames and hand-glasses may be re- 

 quired for some of the more tender seeds and seedlings ; and, on a large scale, a seed-loft and its ap- 

 pendages, as well as an office for writing, &c. may require to be erected apart from those belonging to the 

 Kitchen -garden. 



6981. Stocking with plants. The ground being arranged, and prepared by one or more vegetable crops, 

 the next thing is to stock it with stools, or stock plants, to propagate from by layers, and to procure stocks 

 for grafting or budding, but especially in a private forest-tree nursery with tree-seeds. In the tables of 

 ornamental trees and shrubs (6540. to 6571.), given in the preceding book ; and in the general index at the 

 end of the work will be found the particular mode of propagation, and the requisite soil for each 

 tree and shrub : by inspecting these sources it will be seen what plants must be procured for stools. If 

 the object is merely forest culture, few, excepting some of limes, poplars, and planes, will be required ; 

 but, if tender trees and shrubs are to be reared, the number will be more considerable. Plant the 

 tenderer sorts in the sheltered borders, and the more hardy in the open compartments: the tree kinds 

 may be placed from six to eight feet every way, and the more delicate shrubs from three to six feet apart 

 in suitable soils. Stocks for grafting, whether for fruit or barren trees, are to be planted in nursery 

 rows, according to their kinds ; those for inarching round the parent plant (2007.) or in pots. 



Chap. VIII. 



Of the Culture and Management of a Nursery for Trees and Shrubs. 

 6982. The princijial objects of culture in a private tree-nursery are the hardy trees and 

 shrubs of the country, which produce seeds ; and the great object of the private nursery- 

 gardener must be to collect or procure these seeds, prepare them for sov^^ing, sow them in 

 their proper seasons, and transplant and nurse them till fit for final planting. We shall 

 arrange the principal trees and shrubs which ripen their seeds in this country ; as cones, 

 nuts, berried stones, berries with small seeds, leguminous seeds, and small soft seeds. 



