1863.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
227 
Lettuce.— Those -who like salads through the 
season, can easily keep up a supply by sowing at 
intervals. Choose a rather shaded place for sowing 
in hot weather, and give water as needed. 
J/e/ons.— To get fine well ripened fruit, a little 
pains should bo taken. If the vines are neglected, 
twice as much fruit will set as can be ripened, and 
the frost will cut off a large lot of half grown 
melons. Take off all the fruit except 3 or 4 speci- 
mens to each vine. The ripening may be hastened 
by putting 6traw, or a piece of board under each 
melon. An occasional careful turning will cause 
thcui to ripen equally. 
Onions. — In many places these will be ready to 
harvest by the last of the month. When the major- 
ity of the tops hive fallen down, pull the crop ; let 
them remain a few days in the sun, and then stack 
them in heaps or two or three bushels each. Most 
cultivators last year, marketed their onions as soon 
as harvested and at a comparatively low price. 
Onions properly cured aud stored in a cool place, 
so that air will have free circulation, can be kept 
for a long time. See our work on onion culture. 
lias. — Be particular in saving seed. Clean the 
ground of stalks, which may be fed to swine or 
sheep, and occupy it with turnips, late cabbages etc. 
Potatoes. — In digging potatoes for family use, it is 
the best plan to bury the tops as j*ou dig from time 
to time, they afford an excellent manure. 
Seeds. — Use every care in saving from the best 
specimens. Do not trust to recollecting the sorts 
but keep a label of some kind with them from the 
moment they are gathered until they are finally 
put away for use next 6eason. 
Spinach. — Seed may be sown at intervals to yield 
a late supply. 
Squashes. — The summer varieties should be pick- 
ed and used or marketed before they become too 
hard. Save seed from the earliest. The winter 
sorts are now too large to work among with safety. 
Continue to watch for the squash bugs and borer, 
and destroy insects and eggs. 
Tomatoes. — Pinch off the growth which will not 
perfect its fruit. The large green caterpillar will 
be busy this month. Look over the vines and haud- 
pick them. A single one if neglected will strip a 
vine of leaves in a few days. 
Turnips. — These may be sown to take the place 
of crops which have been removed. The Red Top 
Strap-Leaf is one of the best for late sowing. 
White French and Swedes may be transplanted if 
they stand too thick in the beds. They can be 
transplanted as readily as cabbages. 
Watermelons. — These need essentially the same 
treatment as melons. 
Weeds. — Exterminate long before they can per- 
fect their seeds. 
Fruit Garden. 
Blackberries. — There is every prospect of an 
abundant crop of this most delicious fruit. The 
New-Rocbelle or Lawton should not be picked un- 
til it is fully ripened. If there is more fruit than 
can be consumed in the fresh state, it may be pre- 
served in bottles, dried, or made into jam. 
Currants and Gooseberries. — The season of cur- 
rants may be much prolonged by shading the bush- 
es. Where it is desirable to do this, a portion of 
the bed may be covered with a cheap awning. As 
soon as the fruit is off, pruue the bushes, taking 
out from one third to one half of the old wood. 
Read article on page 242, where we mentioned only 
the Cherry aud White Grape, and omitted to add 
that the Versailles (red), and Provence (white), were 
also desirable kinds. 
Grapes. — The young vines should be treated so 
as to produce strong aud well ripened wood only. 
Sec article on page 146, in May Agriculturist. In 
fruiting vines, the branches which have been pinch- 
ed back, may throw out side shoots which should 
be removed. Keep well tied to the trellises. Pick 
off caterpillars or dislodge them by a strong stream 
of water from the Aquarius or other garden engine. 
Mildew has appeared in some localities. We know 
of no better remedy than to remove the affected 
branches. Sprinkling with sulphur stirred in wa- 
ter may be tried as a preventive. 
Ras2}berrics. — As soon as the fruit is off, the bear- 
ing canes should be cut away. The new shoots of 
this season's growth will bear the fruit of next year, 
aud their development should be hastened : cut 
out all but two or three of the strongest shoots, 
which should be kept tied to stakes or the trellis, 
and fork in well-rotted manure around the roots. 
Strawberries. — Where it is desirable to multiply 
plants, give the runners their own way, otherwise 
cut them off as they appear. We have said suffi- 
cient on strawberry culture on other pages. 
Flower Garden and Lawn. 
This is the month in which the garden and 
grounds generally present the fewest attractions. 
The early flowers are gone, and it is too soon for 
the Autumnal ones. General watering iu a time of 
drouth, can only be practised in gardens of very 
moderate size ; still those plants which droop under 
the continued heat and dryness, should be saved by 
a special watering. Remove the earth near the 
roots and give a copious watering, and return the 
earth after the water has soaked away. This will 
be more effectual than surface watering. 
Box Edging. — Give its last clipping early in the 
month, aud keep well hoed. 
Budding may be done on the shrubs which it is 
desired to propagate in this way, such as Oranges, 
Lemons, Magnolias, Roses, etc.. 
Bulbs. — Hyacinths aud Tulips should be allowed 
to remain in the ground until the leaves commence 
to wither, when they should be taken up and kept 
iu a dry place until time for the fall planting. 
Climbers. — See that the supports are of ample 
strength to hold up the rapidly increasing weight. 
Dahlias. — Keep well tied up to stakes according 
to directions given on page 211, last month. As 
soon as their beauty is passed, the flowers should 
be cut off. Watch for aud destroy the borer. 
Fuchsias. — These are propagated from cuttings 
with the greatest ease, by the method given on 
page 244. They are deservedly increasing in popu- 
larity as among the choicest ornaments of the 
flower garden. 
Grass. — Whether on the lawn or as edgings, treat 
as directed last month. New lawns may be seeded ; 
add a little rye to the seed ; this will afford protec- 
tion to the young grass. 
Gravel Walks. — Keep free from weeds, in good 
condition, by the use of the hoc, rake, and roller. 
Hedges may now receive their final clipping. 
Hoe. — Keep the soil stirred by free use of the 
hoe and rake. 
Insects. — Every chrysalis or cocoon should be de- 
stroyed as it contains the germ of future trouble. 
Layers. — Shrubs and viues can be layered, and 
many of them will be rooted by Autumn. Those 
laid down in the Spring, if well rooted, may be 
taken away from the parent stock and planted 
elsewhere. 
Mignonette. — If the seeds are sown now a late 
bloom may be had. It may also be sown in pots 
for flowering in the house during Winter. 
Pelargoniums. — Trim to a compact form, and use 
the cuttings to start new plants. Remove the flow- 
er stalks as soon as the blossom falls. 
Bitted Plants. — Do not let them suffer for lack 
of water. Loosen the soil aud remove all weeds. 
Hoses. — Continue to use whale oil soap against 
the slugs. Put down branches of the new growth 
as layers. If the remontants were properly cut 
back, they will now give a fine show of flowers. 
Seeds. — Care should be taken to 6ecure seed of the 
finest specimens only. Biennials and perennials if 
sown as soon as the 6eed is ripe will give a bloom 
during the next season aud thus save a year. 
Verbenas. — Secure a stock for wintering over, 
cither by layering or by striking from cuttings. 
Green and Hot-Houses. 
The work here is mainly that of preparation, as 
most of the plants are out of doors. If new struc- 
tures are needed, they should be built at once. 
All repairs and painting are to be completed some 
weeks before the plants are returned to the house. 
A supply of potting earth should be laid in, and a 
stock of coal or other fuel secured. Cuttings of 
plants for early Winter blooming may be put iu and 
those already started, potted off. 
Apiary in August. 
Prepared by M. Quinby — by request. 
The moth will continue to prowl about the hives 
at night during the warm weather of this month. 
The female has a few hundred eggs to leave some- 
where, and any colony not Btrong enough to keep 
her at a distance, will have to yield its wax to feed 
her progeny. Continue to set dishes of sweetened 
water about the hives at night. This insect has an 
appetite for strong drink, and will indulge like a 
human being, until destruction overtakes her. 
Some of them will drink even to bursting, aud will 
fall into the liquid mire, and wallow about in it, de- 
lightfully intoxicated until morning ; then comes 
the reckoning. Strain them out and feed to chick- 
ens. The bees of any diseased stocks that have 
been neglected may yet be driven out ; they will 
probably do something; what they do make will be 
good for another year, when it is not enough for 
winter. Where Buckwheat is a general crop, strong 
colonies that are full, will store from twenty to 
thirty pounds of 6pare honey from its flowem. 
Give abundant room for this, by the addition of 
boxes. Boxes nearly full of honey from clover, 
should be removed in the early part of this month. 
If sent to market, and they contain but very little 
buckwheat on the outside, they will appear to be 
wholly of that quality, and will have to be sold for 
a corresponding price When a colony is much 
weakened by over swarming, and has left boxes 
half filled, with the cells generally unsealed, it is 
quite common for the bees to remove every particle 
of honey to the combs below. This is particularly 
the case where there is no buckwheat crop. Strong 
swarms may, at the same time, be gradually filling 
boxes. Wateh closely, and take off as soon as they 
commence removing it. Being free from pollen, it 
is very nice for the table, even if it is not sealed. 
When the supply of honey has very much failed, 
there is some risk of changing from one hive to 
another ; instead of having a box finished, we may 
loose what we have already. Swarms that issue 
this month, rarely make enough for Winter, they 
are usually worth but little; the bees are needed in 
the old stock to keep it strong for winter. If there 
is any queenless colony that needs a part, divide 
them, give half the bees with queen to that, and 
return the balance to the parent hive. When not 
wanted in this way, takeaway the queen and return 
all the bees. They seldom issue again at this 
season. Boxes of honey kept through the warm 
weather, will sometimes show the moth worm. A 
streak of white powder-like substance is first seen 
on the surface of the comb ; in a few days the web 
will appear. Put iu a barrel or box, cover closely, 
and smoke with brimstone Any one having the 
Italian bees and being surrounded by a large number 
of black or natives, will find it difficult to keep 
them pure. The queen meets the drone away from 
the hive, and a queen and a droue kept in colonies 
three miles apart will sometimes meet. On this 
account there is an advantage in rearing queens 
late, say October, when all the native drones are 
usually destroyed. To secure droues of the Italians 
at that time, select now a colony of the most beau- 
tiful ones, take away the queen, and destroy queen 
cells that arc made eight days afterward. Drones 
are not destroyed here unless destitute of stores. 
