44 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK I. before it grow mouldy. The tender stems and branches should yet be 

 '^'y^^ more gently refreshed, lest the too intense rays of the sun darting on 

 them, cause them to wither ; as we see in our fibrous flower-roots newly 

 set. In the mean time, for the more ample young plantations of forest 



consist of a spot of fine light earth, and let the seeds be sown in beds a quarter of an inch 

 deep. After the plants have made their appearance, they should be gently refreshed with 

 water in dry weather, and carefully kept clean of weeds during the whole summer. By 

 the autumn they will not have shot more than an inch or two ; and in spring they 

 should be pricked out in beds about three inches asunder. The second spring they must 

 be taken out of these beds with care, and planted in the nursery, in rows three feet 

 asunder, and the plants eighteen inches from each other ; and here they may remain until 

 they are fit to plant out for good, which will be about the second or third year after. 

 When they grow well in the nursery, I would advise them to be planted out where they 

 are to continue, after having got two years strength, for these trees always thrive best 

 that are removed small from the nursery, if they are only of a sufficient size not to be 

 injured by the weeds. For an improved method of raising the Lai-ch, consult its history 

 in the Chapter on Pines. 



CHESTNUT. — 



Before you attempt planting any Chestnuts, whether Foreign or English, put them into a 

 tub of water, and let those that swim be thrown away. The middle of February draw 

 four drills along each bed, at a foot distance and five inches deep ; in these drills place the 

 nuts at about four inches asunder, and cover them well. When the plants appear, weed 

 them very carefully, and if you make use of an hoe, it must be done with great care, for 

 fear of hurting the tender bark ; but if any weeds break off within the ground, a 

 carpenter's chissel, about an inch broad, will be of great use in getting the roots up 

 without damaging the plants. In the seminary they must stand two years, be well weeded 

 and earthed up before winter, and then some ashes spread amongst them. In February 

 they will want transplanting into the nursery (the ground being first double dug) in rows 

 three feet asunder, and each plant at eighteen inches distance ; after they have remained 

 there another year, cut them down to the ground, by which they will shoot very strongly 

 with handsome straight stems, and overtake those that have not undergone the same 

 operation. Here they may remain four or five years, keeping them clean from weeds, 

 and digging between the rows. 



WALNUT. 



Having marked the trees that produce the finest nuts, either for thinness of shell or 

 goodness of taste, we must proceed to gather them when they begin to fall. But as 

 collecting them by the hand would be tedious, they may be beat down by long poles 

 prepared for that purpose. Having procured the quantity wanted, let them be preserved, 

 with their husks on, in sand, till the beginning of February, which is the time for planting 



