Jan.] the nursery. 59 
necessity requires it, this ground may be planted with young trees, 
&c., in spring. 
In severe weather, when out-work cannot be done, make label- 
sticksj and have them in readiness when wanted, to mark the 
various kinds and varieties of fruit and forest trees, shrubs, plants, 
&c. which you intend to plant or propagate in spring; the largest, 
to mark rows of fruit trees, &c., should be about the size of a coach- 
wheel spoke, and for sake of durability, made of white oak, or some 
other good durable wood, with the numbers marked or painted 
thereon; such will last you for several years: small kinds for 
labelling flowers, or the various sorts of small seeds which you 
intend to sow, may be made of old or new shingles, or pieces of 
good pine, cut and split to such lengths as you desire; form these 
neatly, and when you are going to use them, rub one side of the 
upper end for about two inches with white oil-colour paint; on 
which, while yet wet, write your number, or the name of the plant 
at full length with a black-lead pencil; this will endure any kind 
of weather for one year at least, and be legible for several years, 
when placed in pots, with greenhouse or hothouse plants. 
Care of tender and young seedling Trees. 
Take great care now of all the tender kinds of seedling trees, 
shrubs and other young plants of similar quality raised from seed, 
or by other means, last year or before; many kinds will, in hard 
frost, need shelter, particularly the young seedling plants of the 
cedar of Lebanon, &c., China arbor vitse, the tender kinds of pines 
and firs, and the seedling plants of cypress, and such like kinds of 
young seedling evergreens, which will all need occasional protec- 
tion in severe weather: and therefore, at the approach of the first 
hard'frost, the pots or boxes, &c., containing them should be re- 
moved into a garden fraine, or some other convenience of occasional 
shelter, and in the time of hard frosts the glasses and other cover- 
ing put on; but they must be kept constantly open in mild weather, 
when it can be done with safety to the plants. 
The tender seedling plants which are growing in beds, and 
require shelter in time of frost, should be covered at such time 
with mats; first erecting some hoops across the bed, and the mats 
to be drawn over them occasionally for defence of the plants. 
Likewise some of the more hardy kinds of young plants may be 
sheltered in bad weather by laying some straw, fern or long dry 
litter lightly over them; this will protect the tender tops and roots 
from the frost. 
But this covering must not be suffered to remain longer than 
necessary to defend the plants. 
Likewise any curious or tender young evergreens, &c., that are 
planted in pots, should be placed under shelter in severe frosts; such 
as arbutus or strawberry tree, magnolia grandiflora, cistuses, China 
arbor vitse, English and Portugal laurels, &c., placing them in a 
frame, or where they may be defended either with glasses, mats 
or other covering in rigorous weather. 
