18 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



As soon as the leaves fall, take cuttings from currant bushes 

 and grapes, and plant them out in rows. They will start 

 off and grow earlier by some six weeks, the next season. 

 Fill in your celery trenches every ten days. 



10. Work for October. — Push forward your hogs as fast 

 as possible. If they have had a good clover range in the 

 summer, they will be ready to start off vigorously from the 

 moment that you begin to put them upon corn. See that 

 good paths are made in every direction from your house ; 

 and be sure to have walks through your barn-yards raised 

 80 high as never to be muddy. Your cattle-yards should 

 slope toward the centre in such a way that horses and cat- 

 tle need not wade knee deep in going in and out. 



Frosts will now begin to strip your trees and stop the 

 growth of garden shrubs, and all your preparations should 

 be made for protecting tender trees and shrubs. For 

 cherry and pear-trees, especially, you should provide good 

 covering for their trunk, until they have grown quite large. 

 A good bundle of corn-stalks set round the body so as to 

 keep out the sun, but not the air, will answer every purpose. 

 For beds of China and tea, and dwarf roses, we advise 

 a covering of three inches of half-rotted manure. Cover 

 this with leaves about six inches. Moss is better, if you 

 ■will take the trouble to collect it ; an d straw will do if you 

 have neither moss nor leaves. Half cover the part that 

 remains exposed, with fine brush, or pine branches. For 

 single plants, drive a stake by their side, and tie the plant 

 to it; wind loosely about it a wisp of straw or roll 

 of bass matting, or cloth, so as to exclude the sun and 

 not the air. The sww, and not the cold^ usually destroys 

 plants. 



H. Work for Kovembee. — ^During this month, if the 

 ground is not locked by frost, you may plow stiff, tenacious 

 clay soils to great advantage. By being broken up and 

 subjected to the keen frosts, your soil will become mellow 

 and tender. See that every provision is made for shelter- 



