1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



403 



tree. And when all the produce of the or- 

 chard can be turned to a profit, the culture of 

 the apple will be more encouraging. 



Lawrence, Mass., 18G9. n. s. t. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 THE GARDEN IN" SEPTEMBEH. 



The revolving seasons again bring us days 

 and nights of equal length, and a month that 

 epitomizes the year, as summer and winter are 

 both pretty well represent'^d by the varying 

 temperature of its thirty days. The ancients 

 in tracing out and naming the constellations of 

 the heavens gave the name of ''Libra, or the 

 scales," to that cluster of stars seen this month 

 on the meridian, in the track of the earth ; 

 thus not unfitly representing the equal length 

 of the day and n ght. 



The dry and sweltering heat of the first few 

 days of the month usually soon gives way to 

 storms, winds, cold and fiosts which terminate 

 the growth of most varieties of vegetables in 

 the garden. Our duty now is, to prolong the 

 season as far as possible; to gather in the 

 ripening crops and save them for future use ; 

 to make provision for coming seasons by 

 planting seeds to grow plants to be wintered 

 over ; to make preparations for cold frames 

 and beds ; to gather and save seeds ; and to 

 do up all needed, seasonable woik. 



The past season has forcibly impressed on 

 gardeners the importance of thorough drain- 

 age. Well drained and deeply worked ground 

 sutfers less from great drought or too much 

 wet than oiher land. It a-'sorbs heat more 

 readily and becomes warmer to a much greater 

 depth, and is also in working order much 

 earli. r in spring, and continues the growing 

 season later, in addition to its superior pro- 

 ductiveness over that undrained and shallow 

 worked. 



Beans. — Pick and preserve the string beans 

 for winter use, as fast as they come to suita- 

 ble size. All should be saved before frosts, 

 as light frosts often spoil thtm. Pick off, 

 shell and dry all pole beans, ripe or uijripe, 

 that have made a growth, especially the Lima, 

 that prince of all beans. Shelled and diied, 

 they are enjoyed and are almost as good, 

 cooked in winter, when green vegetables are 

 not to be had, as in their season in the fall. 

 The Lima coutmues growing late, and ordina- 

 rily a large proportion of thtm are caught by 

 frost belbre ripening. These, if propeily se- 

 cured are a valuable part of the crop, and 

 match well the dried swt'et corn for succotash. 



Cabbages and Caulifloweks. — Continue 

 to hoe and cultivate fitquently. The latter 

 part of the month sow seed lor plants to win- 

 ter in frames, & '. 



Celery. — Earth up as fast as a few inches 

 of growth is made. Be cartful that none of 

 the leaf stalks are broken or bruised, or any 

 dirt is allowed to scatter into the heart. Earth 

 up only when the plants are dry. 



Corn. — Always make it a point to save the 

 earlie^t and best ears for seed, and observe if 

 any variation be apparent. It is by propa- 

 gating from, and encouraging variations, that 

 better varieties nre established. Dry sweet 

 corn for winter use, or if you are successful — 

 which few are in a small way — can it. Cut up 

 and feed the stalks as soon as divested of the 

 ears. 



Cucumbers. — Get out and save the seed 

 from those reserved for maturing seed. A 

 very good sweet pickle is made from the ripe 

 ones. 



Manutje. — The garden and grounds will 

 now furnis i a large amount of refuse matter, 

 which should be added to the compost heap. 

 Few are aware of the extent of their resources 

 for making manure. 



Onions. — Any remaining not harvested 

 should be pulled when the tops fall over, cured 

 a few days in the sun, then topped and stored 

 in a dry cool room. Seed may be sown for 

 plants to winter over. 



Sweet Potatoes. — Lift the vines to pre- 

 vent rooting. Some of the largest may be re- 

 moved, by feeling for them with the finger, 

 from the hill for the table. Dig as soon as, or 

 before a frost cuts the vines. A dry day is 

 best for digging. 



Squash — Clear off the vines of the summer 

 sorts which have done bearing. Winter 

 squashes should be gathered and protected 

 previous to any freezing frosts, as a slight 

 touch injures their keeping qualities. 



Tomatoes — Pickle, can, make ketchup, 

 gather and enjoy ; for the first frost will cut 

 them off. Their season may be prolonged by 

 pulling up the vines, at the appearance of 

 freezing, and hanging them under cover, or 

 by covering the vines in the garden. 



Weeds. — Do not allow any to go to seed. 

 If they are allowed to fiower they will often 

 perfect seed from the accumulated juices of 

 the stem, &c., even if cut down and thrown 

 on the manure pile. W H. White. 



South Windsor, Conn., 1869. 



Esparto Geass. — Ninety-five thousand tons of 

 this grass were imported from Spain into England, 

 last year, to be converted into paper. It costs in 

 England from $20 to $'30 per ton. The amount of 

 paper produced is from 50 to 55 per cent, of the 

 weight of the grass. Various qualities of paper 

 are made from it without any admixture of rags 

 or other substances. 200 lbs. caustic soda, and 

 250 lbs. of chloride of lime are used in whitening 

 a ton of gra^s and redudng it to pulp. The same 

 processes are used as in the making paper from 

 rags. It is proposed to attempt the culture of this 

 grass in the United States. 



— The Prairie Farmer states that of the 412 stu- 

 dents at the Cornell University, fifty-seven are 

 studying "agriculture and the mechanic arts." 



