OCTOBER. 



708 



OCTOBER. 



to 70 during the day, which must be the 

 utmost maximum of fire heat permitted for 

 the next four months ; five or ten higher 

 degrees from solar influences will be very 

 serviceable. However, air must be given 

 an such cases at once, and caution used to 

 prevent the artificial and solar heat exerting 

 their full force simultaneously. 



Watering. Water liberally poinsettias, 

 justicias, begonias, gesneras, &c., com- 

 ing into bloom ; other plants, going out 

 of flower, water scantily. All watering 

 should now be done in the morning ; and 

 sprinkling, &c., unless on very bright days, 

 entirely dispensed with. Drips of water 

 must not be allowed to stand on variegated 

 begonias or other fine-foliaged plants after 

 this period ; their impaired vitality, com- 

 bined with the decrease of solar heat, 

 renders them peculiarly liable to be injured 

 from this cause ; the structure of the leaves 

 speedily becomes decomposed, and large 

 blotches or holes appear, in consequence. 



Vincas, &>c. Vincas, clerodendrons, 

 &c., that have finished flowering should 

 now be cut back, and after they have 

 slightly broke, be shaken out of the pots, 

 and inserted in as small pots as possible, 

 for they seldom winter well in large pots. 



October. Kitchen Garden, 

 Work in. 



Asparagus. Towards the end of the 

 month the asparagus beds may be cleared 

 of their haulm, but not till it is yellow and 

 the seed ripe, and a portion of the soil 

 forked into the alleys ; then mix some 

 good manure with a little salt, and lay a 

 good coating of it over the plants, covering 

 the whole with the soil thrown into the 

 alleys. 



Beans and Peas. The peas and beans 

 are now past ; let the ground be clearedj 

 and, where vacant, dug or trenched, or 

 ridged up, so that it may have the advan- 

 tage of fallowing from the sun and air, and 



salts from the snows of winter. A crop of 

 early peas may be sown, either on a warm 

 south border or under a fence. If the 

 border is 8 or 10 feet broad, let the drills 

 run across, 3 or 4 feet asunder, and so 

 arranged as not to come in front of the 

 stems of the trees on the wall, and ij inches 

 deep. Small crops of Mazagan beans may 

 also be planted with a chance of their 

 standing the winter, and coming in in May 

 or June. 



Broccoli. All the late-planted broccoli 

 should be hoed in common with cabbages 

 of all kinds, so as to loosen the soil and 

 destroy weeds. 



Cabbages. All the cabbage tribes require 

 the greatest attention this month in hoeing, 

 weeding, and warring with caterpillars, 

 which now begin to infest them. Trans- 

 plant cabbages at the end of the month, 

 choosing the strongest plants. Coleworts 

 should now be planted out for spring use. 



Cardoons. These should now receive a 

 general earthing up, choosing dry open 

 weather for the operation, first gathering up 

 the leaves and tying them together with a 

 hayband. 



Carrots and Parsnips. These roots are 

 also at their best now, and may be taken up 

 and stored in the manner directed for 

 potatoes. A little carrot seed may be sown 

 on a warm border, with a chance of young 

 carrots in spring. 



Catilijlowers. Plants from seed sown in 

 August will require pricking out, not less 

 than 4 or 5 inches apart, where seme kind 

 of protection can be given them, either 

 under a frame or handglass ; those formerly 

 pricked out and hardened off require plant- 

 ing out under handglasses to stand the 

 winter, keeping the glasses close till rooted, 

 and then support them on props 2 or three 

 inches thick for air. 



Celery. Earth up as often as it become! 

 necessary, not only for blanching, but ta 

 preserve the plants from injury by frost. 



