402 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



Sept. 



THE 



For the Xew England Farmer. 

 GARDEN IN SEPTEMBER. 



Having labored and enjoyed the fruit of our 

 labor, in part, up to the present time, it now 

 becomes us to save up the remaining products 

 of the garden, and to provide for the exten- 

 feion and continuance of the luxury of green 

 vegetables, &c. 



Weeds will continue to grow, but should 

 never be allowed to interfere with other vege- 

 tation, as they surely will if allow^ to grow 

 at all. Where impracticable to use the hoe, 

 they sbou^jl be hand-pulled. Weeds allowed 

 to form seed will pretty surely be capable of 

 maturing the same by the aid of the juices of 

 the stalk ; a*id if matured will, very likely be 

 scattered to perpetuate their species and give 

 us trouble in the future. The safest way is 

 never to allow a weed to so far mature as to 

 come into blossom. 



Watch for early frosts, which, in this lati- 

 tude, frequently come by the 10th of Septem- 

 ber ; while often if that time is passed without 

 frost, we go free till about the 20th. Some 

 vegetables, with a little protection, may grow 

 on for two or three weeks after the first "cold 

 snap" is over. 



During this month many of the products of 

 the garden arrive at perfection, and all re- 

 maining ones are fast becoming ready to be 

 harvested, requiring care that nothing goes to 

 waste. Gather and take care of all surplus. 

 If not needed for immediate use, store it 

 jjroperly, market, or distribute it among your 

 less fortunate neighbors, who would be glad 

 to receive it. Leave nothing to decay, merely 

 because it is in abundance. If nothing else 

 can be done with it, feed it to the stock or put 

 it in the compost heap. 



Beans. — The earlier sorts of pole beans will 

 now be ripening. Save seed from the best and 

 earliest. Limas are now plenty, — save some 

 of the earliest for seed, and, with the others, 

 lay in a dry, airy place, to cure. Before hard 

 frosts, pick all jreen ones; shell and dry for 

 winter use. P. ,k the late string beans before 

 they become tough; jjickle or can for future 

 use. 



Cabbage. — Late planted will need frequent 

 hoeings. Ordinary frosts and cool nights will 

 not btop their growing, but cause them to har- 

 den their heads against a more severe freeze. 

 Seed may be sown this month, where it is de- 

 sirable to winter over in cold frames for early 

 spring i)lanting, greens, &c. 



Celei;y. — When the plants have attained a 

 height of six to ten inches, the earthing up 

 process .should commence; and in earthing, 

 too much care cannot be used. A bungler 

 will often t^pod half the crop by breaking the 

 leaves, getting dirt into the crowns of the 

 plants, &c. Earthing up will need repeating 

 once in eight or ten days, according as the 

 plants grow. At me lirst earthing, close the 

 leaves carefully together with the hands, and 



while you hold them in position with one hand, 

 draw the dirt up and make it firm with the 

 other, close against the plants. This will hold 

 them in position. Be very careful not to 

 break any leaves, or let any dirt get to the 

 crowns ; and never earth up except when both 

 soil and plants are dry, or decay is sure. 



CoiJN. — Save and dry for winter use. Can- 

 ning is so risky that few like to incur the 

 trouble and risk. Last year directions came 

 out in several papers for salting the green 

 corn in the husk, by packing down in salt in a 

 barrel. A iriend informed me that he tried 

 it last season, and that on taking up some and 

 soaking it in fresh water for some days, and 

 then boiling it and preparing it daintily, none 

 of his family could eat it ; for, said he, besides 

 being salted, it was salt. He tried the pigs 

 with some of it freshened, but they ran away 

 from it, .squealing. Save of the earliest crop a 

 sufHciency of the finest, earliest ears, for seed ; 

 strip off the husks, retaining two or three in- 

 ner ones, and braid in tresses and hang in a 

 dry, airy place. Cut and save the stalks for 

 the cattle, or feed them out green. 



Cucumbers. — Gather the pickles by going 

 over the vines every day and gathering all 

 sizable ones ; cutting them with scissors or a 

 sharp knife, and leave half an inch of stem on 

 each ; using care not to break or tear the 

 vines. Ripe ones may be gathered and the 

 seed scraped out and left to ferment and work 

 clear in a pail or tub, and then wash clean, 

 dry and save. Sweet pickles may be made of 

 those nearly ripe. 



Manure. — Remember that now is the time 

 to add to the compost heap for next year. 

 Such are the laws of nature, that after the soil 

 has produced a crop and it is removed, the 

 elements of the crop must be replaced, or the 

 soil will eventually refuse to yield her increase ; 

 and upon decayed animal and vegetable mat- 

 ter must we largely depend to replace these 

 elements. 



Melons. — Pick as soon as ripe, which may 

 be known by the stem parting readilyiVom the 

 melon. Watermelons are sounded by rap- 

 ping them with the fingers, — a dead sound in- 

 dicating ripeness. Save the seeds of all the 

 best specimens. 



Pak.sley. — If seed be sown this month the 

 young ])lanta may be kept over by covering 

 with %traw or litter, and be ready early in 

 spring. 



Squash. — The summer varieties have ceased 

 producing eatable squash. Pick and save 

 those allowed to ripen for seed ; pull up the 

 vines, cut them and add to the compost heap. 

 The Marrow and Hubbard may be commenced 

 upon for use, as the Hubbard is quite good, 

 even before it is ripe. 



Tomatoes. — These will be in their greatest 

 prime the fore paitof the niunth. Bottle a 

 lull sujtply, and make catsup. Eat them 

 freely, — they are healthy, either cooked or 



