Tools Required in Nursery
Summer.—The keeping down of weeds, watering and shading seed-beds, and turning over and mixing of compost-heaps will be the principal work for the months of May, June and July. Hollies should be planted out in May, and seedlings of the same kind lined out in the nursery borders.
Elm seeds may be collected as they ripen, and some of these sown in well-pulverized beds in June.
Autumn.—Weeds will still require attention, particularly in seed-beds, and amongst young trees that have been recently planted out. General transplanting of shrubs, particularly evergreens, may now go on, and seedlings be lined out. Cuttings should be inserted in light sandy soil by the middle of August, or when the temperature of the earth and air is most nearly equal.
Trim nursery fences, cut grass, clean walks and roads, and attend generally to neatness and order. Look over the brakes of pines, and remove and burn such as are attacked by any of the various insect and fungus pests to which they are liable. The seeds of ash, hornbeam, yew and thorn should be collected and placed in barrels with about an equal bulk of sand, to hasten the decomposition of the outer coating.
Winter.—The early winter months will be a busy time in the nursery, the lifting and dispatching of trees for forest-planting being one of the principal operations—at least, so long as the weather remains mild and open. As time permits, two and three year old plants should be lined out, well-rooted cuttings lifted and transplanted, and layers from old stools carefully cut away and placed in the borders for a year or two before being finally planted out. Turn manure-heaps, and add a small quantity of fresh lime to hasten general decomposition, to sweeten the soil, and deprive the seeds of weeds of their germinative properties.
Sloe, holly, and similar berries may be collected as they ripen, and stored in the usual way.
In November and December, horse chestnut, oak and hazel may be sown in well-pulverized beds of good, rich soil. Ash and hornbeam are sometimes sown in January.