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CHAP. VI.
The HORN-BEAM\
beech, from the resemblance of the leaf; and in Latin is named Carpinus .It is planted of sets, though it may likewise be raised from the seeds,which, being mature in August, should be sown in October; theselie a year in the bed, which must be well and carefully shaded so soonas they peep. But the more expeditious way is by layers or sets of aboutan inch diameter, and cut within half a foot of the earth : Thus it willadvance to a considerable tree. The places it chiefly desires to grow
u Of this genus there are only two species.
1 * CARPINUS/JTErtrztr ^ squamis strobilorum plants. Lin. Sp. PI. 1416 . Horn-beam ivithflat scales to the cones. Carpinus . Dod. Peinp. 841 . Common horn-beam.
This sort is very common in many parts of England, but is rarely suffered to grow as a timber-tree, being generally pollarded by the country people; yet, where the young trees have beenproperly treated, they have grown to a large size. Mr. Miller mentions his having seensome of them in woods, upon a cold stiff clay, that were near seventy feet in height, withlarge noble stems, perfectly straight and sound. Of late years, this has only been consideredas a shrub, and seldom cultivated but for under-wood in the country, and for hedges in thenurseries, after the French taste; for in most of their great gardens, their Cabinets, &c. are formedof these trees, as are their trelifses and hedges which surround their plantations. But, sincethese ornaments have been banished from the English gardens, there has been little demandfor this tree. As the Ilorn-beam will thrive upon cold, barret), and exposed bills, and insuch situations where few other trees will grow, it may be cultivated to advantage by theproprietors of such lands. It will resist the violence of winds better than most other trees,and is by no means slow in its growth. But where it is propagated for timber, it should beraised from seeds, upon the same soil, and in the same situation where it is designed to grow;and not be brought from very rich land, and a warm exposure. The seeds should be sow nin the autumn, soon after they are ripe; for, if they,are kept out of the ground till the spring,the plants will not come up till the following year. When the plants appear, they mustbe kept clear from weeds, and treated as other forest-trees. In two years they will be fit totransplant; for the sooner all trees that are designed for timber are planted where they areto remain, the larger they will grow, and the wood will be firmer and more durable. Whenthese are not intermixed with other trees, they should be planted close, especially on theoutside of the plantations, that they may protect and draw each other up; and if theyare kept clean from weeds for three or four years, it will greatly promote their growth ; afterwhich the plants will need no further afsistance in that particular. As the trees advance in
B b 3