46 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK I. spread, the water might fall on the ground like drops of rain ; which I 

 -^"^^^ should much prefer before the barrels and tumbral way. Rain, river, or 

 pond- waters, reserved in tubs or cisterns, simple or enriched, and abroad 

 in the sun, should be frequently stirred, and kept from stagnation. 



HORSE-CHESTNUT. . 



Put the nuts in a tub of water, and throw away all that swim ; plant them in the same 

 manner as the other Chestnuts, except that they are better put in the ground in October; 

 for if tliey are kept till the spring many will miscarry. In spring they will appear, 

 and when one year old they must be taken up, the tap-roots shortened, and then planted 

 in the nursery, in rows three feet asunder, and each plant at eighteen inches distance: 

 but there is this difference from the other Chestnuts, that these make their whole shoot in 

 about three weeks or a month's time, and after that only increase in thickness ; therefore 

 during that period it would certainly forward them to give the ground an hoeing, though 

 it was dug in the spring ; and if the beginning of May should prove dry, which is some- 

 times the case, it will be proper to give the plants a few gentle waterings. Be careful 

 not to prune these trees after they are planted, for they will not bear it ; and indeed their 

 own beautiful natural shape indicates, that they want no assistance from art. 



SYCAMORE. 



In the autumn when the keys are ripe, they may be gathered, and in a few days after 

 sown, as has been directed for the Ash. In spring the plants will appear, and make a 

 shoot of about a foot and a half by the Autumn following, if the ground of the seminary be 

 tolerably good, and they are kept clean from weeds. The spring after they come up, they 

 should be planted in the nursery, in rows two feet and a half asunder, and their distance 

 in the rows must be one foot and a half. Here they may remain till they are big enough 

 to plant out for good, with no further trouble than taking off unsightly side-branches, and 

 digging between the rows. 



MAPLE 



If a quantity of these trees are wanted, they may be raised in the same manner as the 

 Sycamore, and managed accordingly. 



MULBERRY < 



This tree is propagated two ways ; by seeds, and by layers. Where the former can be 

 procured, it is the most expeditious way of raising great quantities ; and whoever has a 

 correspondence in the south of France, or in Italy, may, through that channel, obtain them. 

 Having the seeds ready, let a fine warm border of rich mellow earth be prepared ; and let 

 this border be hooped, in order to support mats to defend the young plants, at then- first 

 appeai-ance, from frosts. If no such border can be easily had, it will be proper to make a 

 gentle hot-bed, and cover it with rich fat mould: This also must be hooped as the border. 

 Then sow the seeds in little drills, about a quarter of an inch deep. The middle of March 



