May.] the nursery. 389 
the vines have had their first tying up, (for this must be repeated 
as thej advance in growth,) you should give the ground a general 
cleaning either by hoe or plough, &c. as most convenient. 
THE NURSERY. 
Destroy Weeds. 
There is nothing more important at this season, than the destruc- 
tion of weeds in all parts of the nursery, for if you let any of them 
perfect seeds, your ground will thereby be stocked for years; there- 
fore the hoe must be applied wherever you can use it, and always 
be careful to rake and carry away all you hoe or pull up, for if left 
lying on the surface or in the alleys, many of them would there 
ripen seed which would afterwards considerably increase your 
labour. Weeds should never be suffered to grow between the 
rovv's of trees, &c., for those rob them of a great portion of the 
necessary nourishment; nor should you, for the same reason, ever 
plant any kitchen vegetables between them, as is practised by some 
unskilful and covetous persons. 
The seed-beds of all young trees and shrubs should now, in par- 
ticular, be kept remarkably free from weeds, and this must always 
be done by a very careful hand-weeding. 
Watering the Seed-beds. 
If the weather should now prove dry, all the seed-beds, but par- 
ticularly the evergreens, such as pines and firs, &c. ought to be 
frequently watered, taking care not to administer it too hastily lest 
it should wash the earth from about the young roots and expose 
them too much to the sun, which would greatly retard their growth. 
Shading and Sifting Earth over Seedlings. 
All the slow growing and tender seedlings, especially the ever- 
greens, should, after having newly come up, be occasionally shaded 
from the too powerful influence of the midday sun, which would 
destroy a great number of them, particularly while their small 
stems are in a tender succulent state. 
There is nothing tiiat will be more beneficial to the young seed- 
lings at this period of their growth than to sift some fine, light 
earth over them, just as much and no more as will cover their 
stems up to the seed leaves; this will keep their roots cool and 
moist, and protect their stems from the power of the sun. The 
pines and firs in particular, are very subject to be cut off" when 
young at the very surface of the ground, by the burning heat 
thereof, melting away the yet soft and tender stems, while the 
leaves do not appear in the least injured. 
