388 THE NURSERY. - [May. 
ciency of the best, for a proper choice in the general winter prun- 
ing. 
It will not be proper at this time to cultivate the ground between 
the vines, as many accidents might happen thereby, to the blossoms 
and young shoots: but towards the end of the month, or when all 
the vines have had their first tying up, (for this must be repeated as 
they 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 
destruction of weeds, in all parts of the nursery, for if you let any 
of them perfect seeds, your ground will be thereby, stocked for 
years; therefore, the hoe must be applied wherever you can use 
it, and always be careful to rake and carry away such as 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 rows of trees, Sec. for those rob them of a great por- 
tion of the necessary nourishment; nor should you, for the same 
reason, ever plant any kitchen vegetables between them, as is prac- 
tised 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 parti- 
cularly the evergreens, such as pines, and firs, &c. ought to be fre- 
quently 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 mid-day sun, which would 
destroy a great number of them, particularly, while their small stems 
are in a tender succulent state. 
There is nothing that will be more beneficial to the young seed- 
lings, at this period of their growth, than to sift some fine, light 
