OF FOREST-TREES.
201
CH. XIV.
CHAP. XIV.
The LIME 1 .
1. 1 ILIA, the LIME-TREE, or LINDEN, is of two kinds; the male(which some allow to be but a finer sort of Maple) is harder, fuller of knots,and of a redder colour, but producing neither flower nor seed, so constantlyand so mature with us, as does the female, whose blofsom is also very
*Of this genus there are only two species:
1. TIL1A (eurqtjea) floribus nectario destitutis. Lin. Sp. PI. 733- The lime, or
The Lime is a'handsome picturesque tree , forming a beautiful cone by its branches, and main-taining its body taper and straight; and as it will grow to a large size, it is very proper tobe planted for avenues: It also makes a beautiful detached object in parks and open places.Although the leaves fall off very early in the autumn, yet it immediately makes amends'by exhibiting its beautiful and red twigs; for which reason the red-twigged Lime shouldalways be preferred for these purposes. It has also other properties to recommend itselfto such situations: The shade is excellent; the branches are so tough, as seldom to be brokenby the winds; and if any of them should want occasionally be taken off, no tree heals itswounds sooner. It will sometimes run away from its colour, and grow with green branches,but that is not often the case.—The Lime is best raised from seeds; for those trees raisedfrom layers or from cuttings never grow so handsome, or so fast, as those raised in theseminary. Let the seeds be gathered from thriving healthy trees of the true red-twiggedkind, and then by far the greatest part of the young plants will be of that sort. The seedsbeing ripe in October, let a dry day be made choice of for gathering them. As these growat the extremity of the branches, it would be tedious to gather them with the hand; theymay therefore be beaten down by a long pole, having a large winnowing sheet, or some such
thing, spread under the tree to receive them-When you have got a sufficient quantity,
Spread them in a dry place for a few days; then having procured a spot of rich garden-ground, arid having the mould made fine by digging and raking, let it be raked out of thebeds about an inch deep: These beds may be four feet wide, and the alleys a foot anda half. After the mould is raked out, the earth should be gently tapped down with the back
( of the spade, to-make'it level; then the seeds should be sown, at about an inch asunder,all oyer the.bed, gently prefsing them down, and covering them about an inch deep.——In the spring of the year the young plants will male their appearance ; when they should beconstantly kept clear from weeds, and gently watered in very dry weather. In this seminarythey may stand for two years,, when they will be fit to plant in the nursery; at which timethey should be carefully taken up, their roots shortened, and the young side-branches, if they'have shot out any, taken oil. They must be planted in the nursery -ground in rows, twofeet, and a Iralf asunder, and one foot!and a half distant in the rows. There they may standtill they are of a proper size to be planted for good ; observing always to dig between the rowsevery winter, and constantly to keep the ground free from weeds. The Lime-tree will grow
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