Jan.] THE NURSERY. 59 
crop of vegetables, previous thereto;' and when the frost permits, 
let it be trenched in regularly, one full spade deep at least. If ne- 
cessity requires it, this ground may be planted with young trees. 
&c. in spring. 
In severe weather, when out- work cannot be done, make label- 
sticks; and have them in readiness when wanted, to mark the va- 
rious 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 la- 
belling flowers, or the various sorts of small seeds, which you in- 
tend 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 green-house, or hot-house 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 ce- 
dar 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 ever-greens, which will all need occasional protec- 
tion in severe weather: and therefore, at the approach of the first 
hard frost, the pots, or boxes, Sec. containing them, should be remo- 
ved into a garden frame, 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 re- 
quire 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 ne- 
cessary to defend the plants. 
Likewise any curious or tender young ever-greens, 8cc. that are 
planted in pots, should be placed under shelter in severe frost; such 
as arbutus or strawberry-tree, magnolia grandiflora, cistuses, China 
