Work for the Month of September 
By Henry Gibson, New York 
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THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
THOUGH it is somewhat early for moving many of 
the occupants of the hardy borders that may want 
a shift, yet it is none too soon for the paeonies. 
This herbaceous plant has been so improved of late years 
that it is becoming more popular each year. By a careful 
selection of varieties the flowering season may be pro- 
longed, which is worthy of consideration in so much as 
the flowering period of any individual variety is but a 
short one. This is but one fault of the paeony, others be- 
ing that it multiplies rather slowly and some of the va- 
rieties produce blooms so large and heavy that the stems 
are unable to support them, with the result that they are 
beaten down by rains and ruined in the dirt. This last 
trouble, however, may be to a large extent overcome by 
the selections of varieties that have a strong, sturdy stem 
and by the use of some mechanical device or support such 
as are used for tomatoes and other plants. 
Against these disadvantages, however, we find many 
traits in the paeony that would give it a premier place in 
every garden, be it large or small. It is a plant that has 
practically no enemies, so that neither spraying or hand- 
picking or insects is necessary. It is perfectly hardy and 
can be grown anywhere where the apple tree grows. The 
blooms are exceedingly large and fragrant and are to be 
had in a variety of colors from white to pinks through 
reds to purple, and as a cut flower it is as valuable as it is 
for landscape effect. As to soil, the paeony is not at all 
particular. It may safely be said that land that will pro- 
duce good vegetables will grow good paeonies. The soil 
should be deeply worked and plenty of well rotted manure 
incorporated with it. The crowns should be planted about 
four inches below the surface and three feet apart, 
whether planted in rows or in groups. Fresh manure 
should never be allowed to come in contact with the roots, 
for the paeony is as sensitive as the rose in this respect. 
With the exception of June, September is the month of 
roses. The hybrid teas will now be blooming freely with 
flowers of good quality and better color than in June. 
Unless the beds have been well fed earlier in the season 
give manure water now or some other form of stimulant. 
All tall flowers, such as Cosmos, Dahlias, etc.. should be 
kept tied to stakes, and don't be afraid to cut the blooms 
as they open. Dahlias should be doing well at this time, 
and an occasional dose of commercial fertilizer would be 
of benefit to them. Some of the lateral shoots should be 
thinned out, which, while reducing the number of blooms, 
will materially increase the size of those that remain. 
October is considered the best month for planting the 
hardy outdoor lilies, but the Madonna Lily and L. Aura- 
tum are better for being planted now. 
If the cuttings of the various bedding plants have not 
been taken this work should be attended to at once. The 
effect of the bed from which the cuttings are taken need 
not necessarily be spoiled, as the quantity required can be 
taken off at intervals and leave no holes or bad spots be- 
hind. Geraniums, Celeus, Alyssum, Ageratum Verbenas, 
Heliotrope and other tender bedding plants are all best 
if raised from cuttings. Remove all dead and decaying 
leaves and other refuse from the beds and borders and 
don't allow the garden to get untidy because it is drawing 
near to the end of the season. 
It is not too late to seed the lawn yet, if done as early 
in the month as possible so as to insure good root develop- 
ment before frost. Watering a newly seeded lawn is poor 
practice. It is far better to leave it alone until a good 
rain comes along, because, to start properly, the new lawn 
must have all the conditions that accompany rain, such as 
darkness and a humid moisture laden atmosphere. 
COVER CROPS. 
There are several very valid reasons why cover crops 
should be sown in every orchard. In the first place, it 
acts as a mulch on the ground during the winter and 
prevents root killing of the more tender varieties of trees 
during severe weather. It keeps down weed growth the 
following spring and improves the character of the soil by 
adding humus, which, by the way, is very deficient in 
practically all soils. Moreover, cover crops assist the 
ripening of the young weed by utilizing some of the mois- 
ture in the soil. Select the cover crops that are most 
likely to meet the demand of your soil. Heavy clay soils 
require crops of a non-nitrogenous character, such as rye, 
buckwheat, oats, millet, rape, etc. Light soils require 
those of a nitrogenous character. Therefore, use those 
crops that gather and store this element — crimson clover, 
red clover, cow peas, beans or vetch. Soils that are fairly 
evenly balanced should have a mixture of these cover 
crops — say equal parts of rye and crimson clover or buck- 
wheat and vetch. 
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
Lettuce is one of the possibilities of September. Seed 
sown the beginning of the month will mature before the 
bad weather sets in, and with a little protection this batch 
will last well in the cool weather. Spinach, for a very 
early crop next spring, may be sown this month and cov- 
ered during the winter. 
The cabbage worm on the late plants, and also on the 
cauliflower, will need some attention at this time. It may 
be dangerous to use a poison spray now, so one has to do 
the next best thing. Pick off the caterpillars by hand. It 
is a slow, tedious process, but if you are going to allow 
these crops to be a prey for the bugs, you had better pull 
them out and feed them to the chickens at once. Parsley 
for winter use may be planted into a frame at once. 
Early celery should now be ready for blanching. Pick 
off all diseased leaves and spray with Bordeaux on the 
first appearance of blight, or, better still, spray as a pre- 
ventative. Celery plants want lots of water and a top- 
dressing of nitrate of soda will keep the plants growing 
quickly, which is what is wanted if one would have tender 
salad. 
THE GREENHOUSES. 
Rust is apt to get a start in the Carnations at this time 
of the year. It has been the experience of the writer that 
this disease is caused by leaving the plants wet overnight. 
Therefore, see that you spray early enough in the morn- 
ing to allow drying off before nightfall. Keep the soil well 
stirred in the rose benches and keep diseased leaves picked 
off. Ventilate freely, and during dull weather keep plenty 
of air on with enough heat to maintain a genial atmos- 
phere. 
All summer flowering bulbs should be ripened up by 
withholding water at frequent intervals until the foliage 
turns color. The pots can then be placed on their sides 
to finish the ripening process. Biennials sown last month 
should be planted to a cold frame. There is no special 
care required with these plants beyond getting them es- 
tablished before cold weather sets in. 
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