154 



HAWTHORN. 



garden, where they cannot be disturbed by hogs, &c. ; form 

 this mixture into a narrow, sloping ridge, tapering to the 

 top, and cover it with light, loose earth, two inches thick 

 all over ; the April following, turn this ridge, mixing the 

 whole together, and form it again the same way, covering 

 in like manner as before, with two inches deep of light, 

 loose earth ; repeat this again in the months of July and 

 August, by which the seeds in every part will be equally 

 prepared for vegetation. A trench must be cut round this 

 ridge, to prevent any water from lodging about the seeds ; 

 for this would rot many and injure others, especially in the 

 second winter, when the stones w^ould be losing their ce- 

 menting quality, and begin to open ; for until this is effect- 

 ed the kernels cannot vegetate. Hence the necessity and 

 great advantage of not burying the stones in the earth, as 

 is injudiciously practised by many. 



There is not the least danger to be apprehended from 

 frost Injuring the seeds, whilst so much exposed to it in those 

 riJge* J however, it will not be amiss to strew a light cov- 

 ering of long litter over them on the approach of winter; 

 which will keep them dry, and in a better state for sowing 

 when the season arrives. 



" Your haws being prepared as above, make ready a 

 piece rf good rich ground, neither upon an elevated situa- 

 tion, *>or too low; in the former the summer drought would 

 be unfriendly, and in the latter they would be subject to 

 mildew : this^must be done as early in the spring as you 

 can get the ground to work freely, and pulverize ^ for 

 the haws begin to throw out roots at a very ewr-ly period ; 

 and if not sown at this time, or before, a grea^ "aumber of 

 these roots will be broken off in the act of sowing, and 

 thereby totally lost ; the others which escape this accident, 

 having their radicles extended on the surface, penetrate the 

 earth at the extreme points of those roots, forming right 

 angles with the parts already produced, by which means 

 they can never drive up the seed leaves with as much 

 vigour as if the radicles descended immediately in a per- 

 pendicular direction from the stones of the fruit ; hence 

 th« necessity of early sowing. 



" The ground, however, must not be wrought while wet, 

 or at least the seeds should not be covered with wet or 

 heavy earth, nor too deep, for if the surface should cake, 

 or become stiff in consequence of dry weather ensuing, 

 few of these young plants, having broad seed leaves, could 

 bear up through it; therefore, you must be very cautious 



