SEPTEMBER: FIRST WEEK 223 



may be prepared at any time, but the seeds should not be 

 put in until just before you have reason to expect things 

 to freeze up for the winter. Only a few cents' worth of 

 seed will be required, and if you have to replant in the 

 spring little is lost. 



Late Spraying and Cultivating 



Routine work among the late fall crops should not be 

 neglected because the season is drawing to a close. Any 

 that are subject to late attack from blight or mildew dis- 

 eases, such as potatoes, celery or fall strawberries, should 

 be sprayed carefully until they are ready for harvest. 



Use the wheel hoe or the hand scuffle hoe when the tops 

 have grown too much to permit the use of the wheel hoe 

 as long as possible, especially if the weather is dry; a few 

 leaves broken off beets, carrots, turnips or parsnips will 

 make no difference. Late planted crops make their great- 

 est growth, and consequently their greatest demand upon 

 soil moisture, during the last two weeks before hard frost 

 comes. 



" Preparedness" for the First Frosts 



It is still too early to put any vegetables into winter 

 quarters, but a number of things must receive preliminary 

 treatment as soon as they are ready. A sudden cold night 

 may kill all tender vegetables, such as beans, squashes, 

 melons and tomatoes, in latitudes north of New York City, 

 at any time after the fifteenth of September. This first 

 frost is often followed by a number of weeks of good grow- 

 ing weather, but do not be caught off your guard. To be on 

 the safe side winter squashes, sugar pumpkins and melons, 

 which are matured even if not quite ripe, should be gathered 

 and placed in small piles so that they can be covered quickly 

 if occasion arises. The less-matured fruits can be left to 

 grow a while longer. 



The ends of the vines, a few joints beyond the last fruits 

 that give promise of becoming large enough to be used, 

 should be cut off, and all the fruits belonging to a single hill 



