270 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[September, 



then they are hardy enough. We have seen these 

 in Germantown gardens the past season, sights 

 truly lovely to behold, and well repaying the extra 

 trouble given to them. It is just in such atten- 

 tions as these in fact that the pleasures of garden- 

 ing, aside from the mere profits, consist, — and it is 

 the line of gardening above all that we love to 

 cultivate. 



Even vegetables, which, more than fruit, enter 

 into the absolute necessaries of life, give to mere 

 pleasure much material by their superior cultiva- 

 tion, — and we know of some people who derive as 

 much satisfaction from their little garden patches, 

 as others would do from a voyage round the world. 

 For some of these we could give no suggestions 

 that would be new to them. But there are others, 

 younger and coming on, to whom some practical 

 thoughts at this season may be of benefit. 



Lettuces sown last month will now be large 

 enough to set out for permanent growth. A com- 

 mon hot-bed frame, set on a bed of leaves or spent 

 stable manure, will enable one to enjoy delicious 

 salad all through the latter part of winter where 

 sufficient protection against severe frosts can be 

 secured. In this division of our hints, it is more 

 of an object to preserve them through the winter 

 for the purpose of setting out in the open air in 

 spring. In the States this can be readily effected 

 by their being set out in the open air in a sheltered 

 place. Here in Pennsylvania they often do very 

 well by having the ground thrown into ridges 

 about six inches deep, running east and west, and 

 the plants set out on the northern sides. They 

 have a httle straw thrown over them in severe 

 weather, and get through the winter admirably, 

 heading early in spring. The Early York cabbage 

 is extensively grown in the same way. Where the 

 climate is too severe to allow of this, they must be 

 put under cover of shutters, as before described in 

 our hints. 



Cabbages can be preserved in such a cellar, 

 though most prefer them in the open air. One way 

 is to pack them closely together with their roots 

 uppermost, and then cover them with soil, on 

 which straw or litter is thrown to keep them from 

 freezing. By being packed this way, the water 

 cannot get into the hearts, which is one of the 

 chief causes of their rotting. Where plenty of 

 boards can be had, they may be packed with their 

 heads uppermost, and the rain kept off by the 

 material. 



Broccoli and Endive may be taken up with balls 

 of earth, and set in cool cellars closely together, 

 and they will grow sufficiently — the former to pro- 



duce good head, and the latter to branch beauti- 

 fully all through the winter. 



Asparagus beds should be cleaned, by having 

 the old stems cut off and the soils from the alley 

 ways dug out and thrown overbeds. It keeps the 

 frost from the roots, and thus permits them to 

 grow and lay up matter all winter for next spring's 

 growth. Very early in spring the soil should be 

 raked back into the alleys, so as to leave the roots 

 but a few inches under the soil, as the nearer they 

 are then to the sun's rays the earlier will the crop 

 be. 



Celery must have continued attention to blanch- 

 ing as it grows, care being exercised to prevent the 

 soil from entering the heart. Where very fine re- 

 sults are desired, the plants should be protected 

 from early severe frosts, so as to enable the plants 

 to grow without injury as long as possible. 



Roots of most kinds, such as carrots, beets, 

 etc., should be taken up before the frost is severe. 

 They all keep best packed in sand in the open 

 air, but it is too inconvenient to get at them in 

 winter ; hence cellars are employed to preserve 

 them in. Cellars for this purpose should be cool, 

 say with temperature of about 45^, and not all 

 dry. It is not meant that it should be damp, as 

 the roots will become rotten, but it must be moist 

 enough to prevent shriveling. 



However, if any protection can be given so as 

 to enable one to get at the pit in frosty weather, 

 most things keep better so than in any way. 

 Celery keeps very well packed in earth, so that 

 the frost does not get at it ; but it must be laid with 

 the tops sloping, so that the water may be kept out 

 of the heart. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



CABBAGE MAGGOT. 



BY MANSFIELD MILTON. 



" I. R.," page 238, has only had in his 120 cab- 

 bage plants the experience of many a market 

 gardener in this section with their thousands of 

 plants. This maggot on the cabbage is getting to 

 be a great enemy to the raising of early cab- 

 bages. They make their attacks upon the plants 

 shortly after setting out, and act just as J. R. de- 

 scribes, stripping off all the roots, and leave no- 

 thing but a rotten stump, from which often a few 

 weakly roots are sent out near the surface. When 

 only a few eggs are hatched the damage to the 

 plants is not so severe, and often recover, so that 

 they make a good growth afterwards ; but when 



