vailing, and in general the most certain method is that of TONGUE-LAYERING, which is thus performed: The excavation being made, and the layer chofen and trimmed, afcertain where the lower bend of it will fall, by taking it in the left hand and bending it down to the bottom of the trench; then placing the thumb of the right hand firmly against the part oppofite which the tongue falls, infert the edge of the knife as with an intent to cut the layer off fhort in that place; but having cut about half way thro'. it, turn the edge of the knife abruptly upwards, drawing it along the pith half an inch, or an inch, according to the fize of the layer. The whole ftool being treated in this manner, proceed to peg the layers close to the bottom of the trench, bedding the cleft or mouth of each in fine mould for the fibres to ftrike into. (If the mould and the season be very dry, it is well to moiften fome fine mould with soft water, making it into a paste, and wrap the wounded part in a handful of this prepared earth.) This done, level in the mould, draw the point of the layer upright, and fhorten it as above directed; being careful to disturb the wounded part as little as poffible. It is a practice with fome to trim the ftools entirely after layering: we would rather recommend, however, to trim off fuch fhoots only as are too old, or are defective, leaving fuch as are too young to increase in growth;

by

by which means an annual, instead of a biennial, fucceffion of layers will be had.

The TIME OF LAYERING is generally autumn; fpring is favourable to fome plants, and midfummer to others; but trees and fhrubs in general may be layered at almost any time of the year.

The length of time requifite for ROOTING a layer depends upon the nature of the plant: twelve months is generally confidered as a fufficient time, during which the layers fhould be kept clear from weeds; and when the rooted plants are taken off, the ftumps from which they were fevered fhould be cut off close to the ftools, in order that they may fend forth a future fupply of fhoots.

BUDDING and GRAFTING are operations more particularly applicable to fruit-trees, and belong to the kitchen gardener rather than to the planter. They are operations difficult to defcribe upon paper; and are known to every nurseryman and gardener. The great art in grafting lies in uniting the graft closely and firmly with the ftock; and, in budding, not to leave too much wood, nor yet to pare it off too close to the eye.

TRAINING-UP TREES AND SHRUBS.

TREES and fhrubs may be trained up from the feed-bed, &c. until they be fit to be planted out to ftand, either in nurferies fet apart for the purpose, or in YOUNG PLANTATIONS; which laft are frequently the moft eligible nurferies, as will be explained hereafter. A SEPARATE NURSERY however is nevertheless neceffary; and, in this place, it will be proper to give fome general ideas of the foil, fituation, and bufinefs of a nursery-ground.

The SOIL of the nursery, like that of the feminary, fhould be rich and deep, and like that alfo fhould be prepared, by double-diggings and fuitable meliorations if not deep and rich by nature, it must be made fo by art, or be wholly rejected as unfit for the purposes of a nursery-ground. For if the roots of the tender plants have not a foil they affect, or a fufficient room to strike in, there will be little hopes of their furnishing themselves with that ample stock of fibres which is neceffary to a good plant, and with which to fupply them is the principal ufe of the nursery.

The SITUATION of the nursery is frequently determined by the foil, and frequently by local conveniencies the nearer it is to the garden or feminary, the more attendance will probably be given it; but the nearer it lies to the fcene of planting, the lefs carriage will be requifite. In whatever fituation

fituation the nursery be placed, it muft, like the feminary, be effectually fenced against hares and rabbits.

The BUSINESS OF THE NURSERY confifts principally in

The PREPARATION OF THE SOIL has already been mentioned too much pains cannot be taken in this department; it is the foundation it is the foundation upon which the fuccefs of the whole bufinefs greatly depends.

In TRIMMING feedlings, layers and fuckers, for the nursery, the ramifications of the roots fhould not be left too long and fprawling; but (in this cafe) fhould be trimmed off pretty close, so as to form a fnug globular root: by this means the new fibres will be formed immediately round the root of the plant, and may of course be easily removed with it, and without disturbing the earth interwoven amongst them. The tops fhould in most cases. be trimmed quite close up to the leader, or (if aukward or defective) be cut off a little above the

root.

In PUTTING-IN feedlings, various methods are practifed by the dibble; by the Scoop; by a fingle

chop with the Spade, or by two chops, one across the other by Square holes made by four chops of the fpade, bringing up the mould with the laft or by bedding; a method chiefly made ufe of for quickfets. If the foil be well-prepared, and the plants properly trimmed, the chief art in putting them in lies in not cramping the fibres of the roots; but, on the contrary, in letting them lie free and eafy among the mould and the particular mode, or inftrument to be made ufe of, depends much upon the fize of the plants to be put in. This alfo determines, in a great measure, the proper distance between the rows and between plant and plant. Strong fuckers or layers require larger holes and a greater distance than weak feedling plants. The propofed method of cleaning too is a guide to the diftance: the plow cannot work in fo narrow a compafs as the fpade. The natural tendency of the plant itself muft alfo be confidered; fo that few general directions can be given under this head. If we fay from fix to twenty-four inches in the rows, with intervals from one to four feet wide, we shall comprehend the whole variation of diftances.

1

CLEANING THE NURSERY is a bufinefs which muft not, of all others, be neglected: all plants are enemies to each other. If grafs and weeds are fuffered to prey upon the foil, the young plants will be deprived of their proper nourishment and moifture in short, it is neceffary that the nursery should

be