F O R E S T - T R E E S. 129 



are moft worthy of general culture in the climate of Great- 

 Britain, 



I SHALL begin with defcribing the common method in Scot- 

 land of cultivating the Scots Pine or Fir, from which practice, 

 many millions are annually raifed and planted out amongft us ; 

 and then, as ihortly as I can, hint what circumilances I have long 

 found an improvement on that pradlice. 



The ufual way is, to gather their cones in winter, and fow 

 the feeds about the end of April or beginning of May ; but as 

 before that feafon of the year, the fun has feldom power enough 

 to open the cones, they have recourfe to laying them before a hot 

 fire, or upon a kiln, which, if not done with great caution, and 

 the heat made very temperate, totally deftroys a great part of 

 the feeds, or in all events, though done with difcretion, it 

 weakens the whole. Little obfervation, and Icfs philoibphy, will 

 fliow this practice oppofite to nature^ 



These feeds however, the befh they can ger, are fown at the 

 feafon before-mentioned on beds of well-prepared earth, ex- 

 tremely thick, and covered about a quarter of an inch deep, 

 where they remain two years. 



From the feed-bed, fuch as are not demanded, the gardeners 

 remove to the nurfery, where they are (till planted out very thick, 

 and from thence fold the following or fecond year after, as the 

 demand happens to be more or lefs. 



Much the greatefl quantity of Scots Firs are planted out in 

 Scotland from the feed-bed, and fuch are generally (tho' furely 



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