California Agriculturist 





SfAE^ 



Vol. 7— No. 9.} 



SAN' JOSE AND SAN FRANCISCO. CAL., SEPTEMBER, 1876, 



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SEASONABLE HINTS. 



September la au important month 

 to the gardentT iu this climate. 



There is a. good deal to look out 

 for, which, if done iu season, will 

 not be regretted. 

 The seeds of annuals and perennials, 

 as they ripen, should be carefully select- 

 ed and saved. Save only the best seeds 

 from healthy plants. When thoroughly 

 dry put into glass vials so that no in- 

 sects or mice can get at them ; or they 

 may be done up in papers, the name 

 written on, and be kept safely in a cov- 

 ered glass or earthen jar. 



If the seeds of perennials are planted 

 this month in rich moist earth, in beds 

 or boxes, and are eai-efuUy tended, they 

 will grow sufficiently this sea- 

 son to come into early bloom ^„^- 

 next season, whereas, if the ,^^^* 

 planting is deferred until next 

 spring, you will have to wait 

 a whole year for blossoms. 

 This is a matter of some mo- 

 ment to every lover of flow- 

 ers. Hollyhocks, Perennial 

 Peas, Sweet Williams, Pinks, 

 Carnations, Evening-Primroses, Pockets, 

 Foxgloves, Popi«es, Stocks, Wall flow- 

 ers, Pentstemons, Primroses, etc., will 

 make a good growth during the nest two 

 months. 



Cuttings of various kinds will grow 

 enough to make fair roots, .and be fine 

 plants another season if put out at once 

 in suitable soil and kept well watered. 

 Pure sand is as good as anything to start 

 cuttings in. They may bo planted iu 

 boxes or in beds, and need considerable 

 light .and suu to do well. At first, for a 

 week or two, a httle shelter from the hot 

 suu is best. Currant, Gooseberry, Rose, 

 Honeysuckle and other cuttings of hard 

 wood plants, should have the leaves cut 

 ofif before planting. Soft wood plants, 

 such as Geraniums, Fuschias, etc., will 

 grow best with the small leaves left on. 

 Give all cuttings plenty of water. 



Layering by bending the branches of 

 plants down so as to cover a portion of 

 the stem with earth without its being 

 first entirely severed from the plant, can 

 also be done with advantage this month. 

 Budding should be done also. Persons 

 who do not understand layering 

 and budding should get some one to 

 show them, or procure au illustrated 

 work ou the subject. It is simple and 

 easy enough when once understood. 



September and October are months in 

 which you can transplant evergreen trees 

 or plants. Of course, we mean such as 

 have been grown in pots or boxes, or 

 such as are carefully taken up with a ball 

 of earth attached about the roots. It is 

 necess.ary that the e.arth should be kept 

 continually moist about the roots after 

 transplanting. The tirst teu days it is 

 \ well to shelter from the hot sun." This 

 cau be done by wrapping the whole tree 

 loosely iu sacking, tied to stakes ou 

 either side. Transplanted this mouth 



(U- in October, the tree will form new 

 rootlets and become established iu the 

 soil before winter, and be ready to grow 

 finely in early spring. 



In the article on lawus, it will bo seen 

 that we advise the sowing of new lawns 

 this month, if plenty of water can be 

 supplied. 



Prune away all dead plants, rusty 

 branches, and withered flowers and 

 leaves, it you want to keep your gardens 

 looking fresh and bright. A little care 

 in this direction will make a great ditier- 

 euce iu the appearance of your flower 

 beds. 



Wh.at we h.avo said before about water- 

 ing abundantly, should apply this month 

 also, particularly during hot weather, of 

 which we always get a week or two iu 

 September. 



See that the climbing plants and vines 

 are strongly supporto<l so as to not hang 

 out of proportion. .Mso that the Dah- 



hibit common people from having them, 

 and enjoying the green carpet where the 

 children cau rollic in sportive glee, and 

 the eye cau rest relieved from the general 

 glare of desert brown of tho hills aud 

 stubble fields at this season. Every 

 household can have its oasis to give life 

 and cheerfulness to its surrouudiugs. 

 Quite as much as they need money to 

 supply neces.sities, do our farmers and 

 the people generally need to cultivate the 

 aesthetic tastes, and to gain the serene 

 enjoyments of tasteful homes aud places 

 which a little time pleasantly given can 

 as well procure as money can. The en- 

 joyment of self-satisfaction arising from 

 such effort is something that money cau 

 not purchase. 



One of the main necessities for a lawn 

 is plenty of water, for grass cannot make 

 a thick sward and keep a fresh growth 

 of living green, in onr climate, without 

 abundaut irrigation. A wind-mill and 

 water-tank, an artesian well with pipes 

 laid through the grounds to be cultivat- 

 ed, or pipes from a hydrant are necessa- 

 ry preparations. Irrigation may be ap- 

 plied by flooding over the snrfaee, or by 

 showering. Practically, it makes but 

 littlo diflerence which. A soil i)roperly 

 prepared will hold water sufficient to 

 make tho grass grow beautifully, if wa- 

 tered thoroughly only once in two weeks. 

 If showered only lightly, once in three 

 days will answer. For economy, the 

 flooding is preferable. 



The under-laid jjipes may be of wood, 



CENTRAJ, PARK LAWN MOWER- 



lias and other heavy late flowering plants 

 are tied to stiff stakes, to prevent the 

 wind from breaking and twisting them 

 down. 



You can plant out bed and walk edg- 

 ings of Primroses, Violets or other plants 

 this month, if you wish nice blooming 

 plants early, and a fine winter garden as 

 well. Plant Strawberry beds for early 

 fruiting. 



THE LAWN. 



There is no prettier feature about a i 

 dwelling than a nice grassy lawn. There { 

 are many of them in Sau .lose, but gen- 

 erally only iu front of the most costly 

 residences. Now there is nothing so 

 very evpensive about a lawn as to pro- ] 



with plugs at intervals to draw out aud 

 allow the water to flood the surface. 

 Once prepared, a lawn is no trouble, but 

 a continual pleasure. The grass you will 

 clip from it the year round will more 

 than pay for all the trouble. Indeed, as 

 an investment, ou every farm, a liberal 

 sized lawn cau be made to pay by supply- 

 plyiug soiling for the cows and horses 

 the year round. A half acre will supply 

 many tons of sweet green feed, if richly 

 dressed with manure occasionally, aud 

 well watered through the dry season. 



The Central Park lawu mower, which 

 we illustrate on this page, is simple in 

 construction, cuts easily, and in dry or 

 green grass, long or short. It costs $20 

 to S25, and will last a lifetime. 



We are indebted to Jlr. R. J. Trum- 

 bull, the Sau Francisco seedsman, for 



J SuBBCEimoK Price, Sl.SOaYear. 

 \ Siugle Coiilcs. 15 Ceuts, 



the use of tho cut aud for some 



PUACTICAI. HINTS ON MAKING A LAWN: 



1 — Soil should be deeply aud thorogh- 

 ly pulverized — making it rich with well- 

 rotted cow (the best) or horse manure. 

 If the soil is naturally rich, a good qual- 

 ity of manure will still improve it. 



2 — Care should bo taken to have a 

 smooth surface — permitting no depres- 

 sions anywhere, where water might 

 stand. If the lawn is inteuded to be 

 flat, it should be made as smooth as pos- 

 sible before sown. 



3 — A lawu may be made at auy time 

 iu California, but the most propitious pe- 

 riod is from the first of September till 

 the 15th of November, or between Feb- 

 ruary 1st and March l-Oth. If made dur- 

 ing warm, dry weather, after the seed 

 has been sown aud raked in it should 

 have a top dressing one inch thick of 

 well-rotted, finely-pulverized manure, 

 which serves to protect tho seed during 

 germination and making its first roots. 

 This dressing will stimulate growth of 

 grass at any time, aud might be advan- 

 tageously used no matter at what period 

 seed is sown. 



4 — There are several varieties of grass 

 used for the formation of lawns, but the 

 more acceptable are the best quality of 

 Blue Grass sown alone, the same with a 

 proper proportiou of White Sweet Clov- 

 er, and the Mixed Lawn Grass, which is 

 composed, as its name indicates, of sev- 

 eral flno grasses mixed iu soitable pro- 

 portions. 



5 — The quantity of seed sown should 

 be in tho proportion of at leost fifty 

 pounds to the acre. The seed cannot be 

 sown too thick, but if sown too light the 

 work must be done over again, Tho 

 point is to get a thick stand to withstand 

 our dry climate, and keep the lawn close 

 and preserved from bunching. 



6 —To make a fine, thick, velvety 

 lawn, the grass should be cut once a 

 week, or ofteuer, according to the sea- 

 son. 



[We supplement the above by adding 

 that for heavy soil it is a good plan to 

 cart sand to cart sand to mix with the 

 top dressing of manure. Also that after 

 the soil is manured and thoroughly stir- 

 red by repeated plowing and harrowing, 

 and leveling, it should be heavily rolled 

 down before the seed is sown, liemem- 

 bes that once well prepared and properly 

 seeded down, etc., a lawu is easily cared 

 for ever after. Blue Gra.ss or Ked-top 

 makes the best lawu. All weeds should 

 be pulled out by hand until the sward is 

 firmly rooted.] 



Drying Fmit. — Kow is the season 

 for putting up fruits for the year, can- 

 ning, drying, preserving, etc. Sun dried 

 fruit, when rightly done and well pre- 

 p.ared, is good enough for anybody. Put 

 up before it is quite hard, in small, 

 tight boxes, press it in firmly, and seal 

 up so that the noths cannot enter. The 

 trouble from moths is not from eggs laid 

 before or during the drying, but after it 

 is packed away. If securely sealed, it 

 keeps fresh .and cannot get wormy. 



