March.] THE NURSERY. 269 
dress and lop off any projecting or straggling branches at the sides 
to within six inches of the hedge, and the work is finished. 
Never lay your plashes too upright, but near to a level; by so 
doing, the sap will the better break out in several places, for the 
production and nourishment of a number of young side shoots, and 
not run so much to the ends, as it would if laid at a higher eleva- 
tion. Also avoid crowding your plashes too much, and never lay 
in more than can conveniently be wove between the stakes, by which 
the young productions will have the benefit of the air, and grow 
much stronger than otherwise. 
Old overgrown fences, which have been planted in the hedge 
and ditch way, may be all cut clean ofi" with the saw, within six 
inches of their roots, and the fallen earth in the bottom of the ditch 
dug up and laid at the back of them; they will shoot vigorously, 
and soon form a fine fresh hedge. 
Large ground hedges will be improved by cutting them down at 
intervals of ten or fifteen years, to the height of three, four, or five 
feet, and where vacancies occur, to fill them with plashing, always 
preferring, on these occasions, the saw to the bill, especially when 
the shoots are large. 
The Plane, Tulip, and Nettle Trees. 
The Platanus occidentalis, or plane-tree, commonly called the 
large buttonwood, and in some places, though very improperly, 
sycamore, is a valuable tree for shade and many other useful pur- 
poses. It may be propagated, either by cuttings, layers, or seed; 
but the last method is much preferable to either of the former, not 
only with respect to this, but to every other tree bearing seed, 
which may be cultivated for its timber; and although it may appear 
more tedious at first, it will in the end be found the most expedi- 
tious and profitable. They may be sown either in November, when 
ripe, or in March, first breaking the balls of seed, and separating 
them effectually, mixing them with some dry earth or sand, and 
then sowing them even on the surface of prepared four feet wide 
beds in the nursery, and covering thetn about a quarter of an inch 
deep, or a little more, if the earth is fine and light: too deep covering 
is injurious to all kinds of seed; for nature never designed more than 
a sufficiency to promote and give action to vegetation. They will 
come up the first season, and the next or succeeding year may be 
planted into nursery rows. 
The Liriodendron tulipifera, or tulip-tree, commonly, but very 
improperly called poplar, is best propagated by seed, which should 
be sown in November when ripe, or preserved in sand or earth till 
March, and then sown, covering them half an inch deep. Those 
sown in November will all grow the spring following; but, if kept 
out of the ground in a dry state till spring, a great number of them 
will not vegetate till the next year. 
The Cellis occidentalis, or nettle-tree, is propagated by seed, 
which, if sown in November when ripe, or preserved in earth or 
sand till March, and then sown, will generally vegetate the same. 
