6

A DISCOURSE

■-book ix.. as I am told, almost half the year; for so it does on the mountains.

of libanus, from whence I have received cones and seeds of those fewremaining trees. Why then should it not thrive in Old England ?.I know not, save for want of industry and trial..

It grows in the bogs of America , and in the mountains of Asia, so as .there is, it seems, no place or clime which affrights it. And I have'

it will so divide the cones, that the different scales may be taken away, and the seedspicked oat. In doing this, great care mitst*be taken-not to bruise or hurt the seeds.

The soil in which you sow these seeds should be rather of a sandy nature; or, for want ,of this, some mould taken fresh from a rich pasture, and mixed with a little drift sand, willserve the purpose.

Having the seeds ready, let them be sown about the middle of March in pots or boxesnear half an inch deep. In about seven or eight weeks the plants will come up, w hen ,they should be removed into the shade from the heat of the sun, where they may stand,but not under shelter, all the summer; during which time they should be kept cleanof weeds, and watered now and then. In winter they must be removed into a warmersituation; and if the season be likely to prove very severe, they should be sheltered eitherby mats, or removed into the green-house, or covered with an hot-bed frame; for they are.subject to lose their young tops at first by the severity of frosts.

In the beginning of April following, these plants may be pricked out, in beds, four'inches asunder-; and if the weather prove dry, they should be shaded and watered till theyhave taken root; after which they will want little shading and Jefs watering. Indeed,

' nothing more is required than keeping them clean from weeds, and 'covering the groundso as to keep it moist, and prevent its chapping by the rays of the sum In these beds theyshould continue two years, when, in the spring, they should be transplanted into thenursery, where they may remain till they are planted out for good.

During the time they are in the nursery, and after planting out, many will havea tendency to droop in their leading shoot. As soon, therefore, as-this is perceived, anupright stake must be driven into the ground, to which the shoots should be-tied withbafs matting, to keep them in their upright growth. The Larch-tree, which is nearlyallied to this species, will sometimes rebel in this- way ; so that it would not be amifs, inboth cases, when the first sign of such a tendency is discovered, to lighten the head bynipping off the extremities of some few of the largest branches.

When these trees are planted out for good they should be left to nature, after being pro-perly fenced. Not a knife nor a hatchet should come near them ; lopping even their lowestbranches is so injurious, that it both retards their growth and diminishes their beauty.

It is matter of surprise that this tree hath not been.more cultivated in.England formerly;for, till within a few years past, there were but few here; since it would be a greatornament to barren bleak mountains, where few other trees will grow so well, it beinga native of the coldest parts of Mount Libanus, where, the snow continues great part of theyear. And,.from the observations made of those now growing in England, it is found .they