6 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK H. as I am told, almost half the year; for so it does on the mountains 

 ^^""^"^^ of I^ibanus, from whence I have received cones and seeds of those few 



remaining trees. Wliy then should it not thrive in Old England ? 



I know not, save for want of industry and trial. 



It grows in the bogs of America, and in the mountains of Asia, so as 

 there is, it seems, no place or clime which affrights it. And I have 



it will so divide the cones, that the different scales may be taken away, and the seeds 

 picked out. In doing tliis, great care must be taken not to bruise or hurt the seeds. 



The soil in which you sow these seeds should be rather of a sandy nature ; or, for want 

 of this, some mould taken fresh from a rich pasture, and mixed with a little drift sand, will 

 serve the purpose. 



Having the seeds ready, let them be sown about the middle of March in pots or boxes, 

 near half an inch deep. In about seven or eight weeks the plants will come up, when 

 they should be removed into the shade from the heat of the sun, where tliey may stand, 

 but not under shelter, all the summer; during which time they should be kept clean 

 of weeds, and watered now and then. In winter they must be removed into a warmer 

 situation ; and if the season be likely to prove very severe, they should be sheltered either 

 by mats, or removed into the green-house, or covered with a hot-bed frame ; for they are 

 subject to lose their young tops at first by the severity of frosts. 



In the beginning of Api-il following, these plants may be pricked out, in beds, four 

 inches asunder ; and if the weather prove dry, they should be shaded and watered till they 

 have taken root ; after which they will want little shading and less watering. Indeed, 

 nothing more is required than keeping them clean from weeds, and covering the ground 

 so as to keep it moist, and prevent its chapping by the rays of the sun. In these beds they 

 should continue two years, when, in the spring, they should be transplanted into the 

 nursery, where they may remain till they are planted out for good. 



During the time they are in the nursery, and after planting out, many will have 

 a tendency to droop in their leading shoot. As soon, therefore, as this is perceived, an 

 upright stake must be driven into the ground, to which the shoot should be tied with 

 bass matting, to keep them in their upright growth. The Larch-tree, which is nearly 

 allied to this species, will sometimes rebel in this way ; so that it would not be amiss, in 

 both cases, when the first sign of such a tendency is discovered, to lighten the head by 

 nipping off the extremities of some few of the largest branches. 



When these trees are planted out for good they should be left to nature, after being pro- 

 perly fenced. Not a knife nor a hatchet should come near them ; lopping even their lowest 

 branches is so injurious, that it both retards their growth and diminishes their beauty. 



It is matter of surprise, that this tree hath not been more cultivated in England formerly ; 

 for, till within a few years past, there were but few here ; since it would be a great 

 ornament to barren bleak mountains, where few other trees will grow so well, it being 

 a native of the coldest parts of Mount Libanus, where the snow continues great part of the 

 year. And, from the observations made of those now growing in England, it is found they 



