PEOPAaATION OF STOCKS. 



109 



the fall, as soon as the seeds are cleaned. At this season 

 the pomace, seeds and all, as it comes from the press, may- 

 be planted without any washing. It should be broken 

 up fine, so that it may be evenly distributed in the seed 

 bed. The difficulty of doing this, is a serious objection to 

 this mode. By taking some pains in the sowing, we raise 

 as good stocks in this as in any other way ; the decayed 

 pulp contributes considerable nutriment to the young 

 plants in their earliest stage of growth. 



"When deferred till spring, it should be done at the 

 earliest moment that the condition of the ground will ad- 

 mit. "When the ground is ready, a line is stretched along 

 one side of the plot, and a drill opened with a hoe about 

 eight or ten inches wide and three deep ; the seeds are 

 then dropped, and the fine earth drawn over them wdth 

 the hoe as regular as possible, covering them about three 

 inches deep. If some leaf mould from the woods or old 

 decomposed manure in a fit state for spreading could be 

 had, and a covering of an inch deep of it spread on the 

 top of the drills, it would prevent the surface from baking 

 or cracking, and allow the plants to come up with greater 

 strength and regularity. Whatever depth of such a cover- 

 ing be used, should be deducted from the covering of 

 common earth. 



Distance to Plant. — ^When large quantities are raised, 

 the drills should be three feet apart to admit of the culti- 

 vator passing between them ; for the ground should be 

 kept perfectly clean and mellow aroujid seedlings the 

 whole season. 



After Management. — ^It is of great importance that they 

 be. not in any way stunted, either in first coming through 

 the soil by a hard surface, or afterwards by weeds and 

 lack of culture ; seedlings stunted during the early stages 

 of their growth never make vigorous, healthy stocks, and 

 indeed should never be planted. When they appear 



