94 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



ripen in September and October, in great abundance, in the 

 English woods, but rarely, if ever, in Scotland. The seeds 

 should be sown as soon as gathered, in beds of the ordinary 

 sizes, and in almost any tolerably good nursery-ground. Many 

 of the seeds will vegetate the first year after sowing, and all 

 of them the second. When the young plants are sufficiently 

 strong in the seed-bed, they should be carefully removed and 

 transplanted into nursery-beds, or lines, as already directed 

 for beeches, their whole nursery culture being similar to thiU 

 of that tree. As to final situation, the hornbeam is not par- 

 ticular in its choice of soil, nor of situation. However, in 

 common with every other tree, it will attain a greater bulk 

 sooner in good soil and sheltered situations. It is not much 

 planted as a forest-tree, but evidently deserves to be more 

 attended to. As a copse-underwood, it is valuable, and affords 

 excellent shelter for game, for, like the beech, the half-decayed 

 leaves remain on the trees till spring. It also yields a con- 

 siderable bulk of fiigot-wood, and makes excellent fuel, dead- 

 fences, and hurdles. 



There are several varieties which are met with in cul- 

 tivation, but they can only be considered as merely orna- 

 mental, and as such deserve a place in the arboratum or 

 shrubbery. 



The varieties arc multiplied by grafting on the common 

 sort, and the true exotic species C. Americana and Orientalise 

 are increased by the same means, or by seeds imported from 

 their native habitats. 



Locust-Tree. — {Rohinia Pseud- Acacia.) 



This family may chiefly be considered as ornamental, and 

 as such deserve a place in every shrubbery of extent. The 

 R. Pseud- Acacia attains a considerable size of trunk, but is 

 more regarded in consequence of the great durability of its 

 timber, which, if we can credit Mr. Cobbet, is almost incor- 

 ruptible. This species has been long cultivated here, and 

 some considerable sized specimens are occasionally to be met 

 with on the lawn, and in the plantations of some of our best 

 planted residences ; but if not planted in very sheltered situa- 



