March.] THE NURSERY. 267 
may treat the following, or any succeeding spring, as tho West- 
phalians do the hornbeam, noticed in page 264. 
The alder is sometimes made use of, as a fence, in moist swampy 
places; it is propagated abundantly by suckers, layers, or seeds. 
The seeds, if sown in March, covered very lightly, and when up 
kept free from weeds, will grow prosperously. 
Black Thorn Hedges. 
The blackthorn or sloe^ is a tolerable good shrub for a fence, but 
is subject to spread too much by suckers, by which it can be propa- 
gated; but the best plants are always produced from the stones of 
the fruit, collected when ripe, and then sown; or preserved in 
sand or earth till early in March, when you are to sow and cover 
them near an inch deep. They will vegetate the first season. 
Plum-leaved Viburnum Hedges. 
The Viburnum firunifolium, or black haw, is an indigenous plant, 
and well adapted for hedges. It may be propagated in abundance 
by collecting the berries in autumn, and managing them in every 
respect as directed for haws. 
^o^e.— When you have but small quantities of such seeds as re- 
quire a year's preparation previous to sowing, you may mix them 
with light sandy earth; which mixture put into garden pots, first 
placing a holluw shell, or something similar, with the concave side 
under, over the hole in the bottom of each, the better to suffer any 
extra moisture to pass off; then place the pots in some dry border 
up to their rims in the earth, bui not deeper; observing to cast 
out the whole contents, rubbing and mixing it well together three 
or four times in the course of the following summer, and to sow the 
seeds, as before directed, early in the second spring; or you may use 
shallow boxes, not deeper than six or eight inches, having their 
bottoms perforated with several holes, and covered with shells, &c. 
but by no means sink them in the earth deeper than their edges, as 
you have nothing to fear from the frost; but, if covered in sum- 
mer with moss, or any thing that will keep the earth moderately 
moist, the belter; or, during that season, you may plant the pots or 
boxes in some shady border. 
Additional Observations on Hedges. 
It is very ineligible to mix two or more kinds of plants in any 
hedge, for they seldom grow equally, and the more vigorous sort 
will destroy the other; nor is it proper, for the same reason, to plant 
trees intended for timber among either. 
Should you have a variety of the preceding kinds in forwardness 
for planting, it would be proper to observe, in the surrounding 
country, what soil and situation each kind thrives best in, when 
growing in a wild and uncultivated state, which will enable you to 
