NURSERY AND PLANTING. 



67 



avenue, and, in the two former cases, assumes a very graceful 

 habit and beautiful outline. The beec is propagated by seeds, 

 which are called mastf and ripen in October. It should be 

 gathered as soon as ripe, as it soon after falls, and is eaten by 

 squirrels, mice, pheasants, and other animals. The seeds are 

 contained in a capsule, which opens when ripe ; these are to 

 be gathered as they fall or are shaken from the trees, and 

 carried to a dry loft, when they will soon open, and the seeds 

 can then be readily separated by sifting, which leaves it in a tit 

 state, if dry, to be stored in till the spring. Nurserymen ge- 

 nerally spread out the seed upon the floors of dry lofts, in pre- 

 ference to keeping them in sacks, as they are apt to become 

 musty when kept in the latter way. Traps should be con- 

 tinually set during winter to protect it from mice and rats, both 

 of which not only eat it on the spot, but carry it to their re- 

 treats. 



In March, or the beginning of April, beech-seeds should 

 be sown in beds, as already directed for alder and ash. The 

 ground should be previously prepared by digging, and laid 

 out in beds to the extent required : the seeds should not be 

 sown too thick, as the leaves are pretty large, and the seeds, 

 if well saved, will vegetate readily. When the sowing is 

 finished, traps should be set for mice, and every precaution 

 taken to keep off pheasants where they abound, for if they 

 once get at them, it will be no easy matter to keep them off 

 again. Weeding should be attended to during the summer, 

 and by the following spring, many of the most forward plants 

 will be fit to plant out into nursery lines. A precaution is 

 very necessary to be used in taking up seedling beech, for, 

 like the walnut, chestnut, and some others, they have long tap- 

 roots, which are liable to be broken off in attempting to pull 

 them up by the hand. A spade therefore should be used to 

 loosen them at their roots, but this must be done in a prudent 

 manner, and only applied along the edges of the beds, which 

 will be found sufficient. When the strongest of the plants 

 are thus taken up, the remainder should be regulated, if at 

 all disturbed in the process, so as to prevent the admission of 

 drought to their roots. The distance at which the seedHng 

 beech, thus taken up, should be planted, may be the same as 

 recommended for ash, and the same attention paid them 



