366 
AMERICAN AGRICl'LTURIST. 
[September, 
Manure.— &&& tbat no fertilizing material is 
wasted. Devise the best means for increasing the 
quantity of manure the following year. Every 
thing that will grow, or has grown in one season, 
will rot before the next, if well composted. 
il/eaiJows.-Keep .all stock from them during the dry 
and hot weather, until the young grass has attained 
sufficient size to shade the ground. Let men and 
boys piclv up and haul off stones from mowed fields, 
so that there will be no obstructions next season. 
Muck.— As soon as field labors are not urgeut, dig 
jnuck and pile it beneath a shed of rough boards, 
■where it will be kept dry and in good condition for 
use in the stables and manure yard. 
Lumeed Cake.— 'Now is the best time to secure by 
contract a supply for feediug. The profits are 
found in the manure heap as much as in the beef, 
though but few appear to know it. 
Oak Bark.— Pfolect from autumnal rains, which 
rapidly depreciate its value, if exposed to them. 
02^,(._Working oxen and fattening bullocks de- 
signed for beef, should now be fed well. Oxen will 
grow fat and work bard too, if they are used gently, 
fed and watered regularly, and curried often. 
thtatoes.—D'ig early sorts as soon as they are 
matured, and the vines show signs of decay; cover 
from the sun with tops, and house soon as possible. 
Fbnllry. — When poultry are fed with meal, or 
grain only once daily, let it be towards evening, 
rather than morning, to induce them to search 
after and consume more insects and grass. 
Rye. — Sow an acre or more for horse feed and for 
long straw, if the soil is well drained. If not, sow 
spring rye on land plowed this autumn, if possible. 
Sheep. — Separate those designed for mutton, and 
feed well with grain. Let all kinds have access to 
good feed, salt, water, and shelter from cold rains. 
Weeds. — Pestiferous plants are now maturing their 
seeds. Wage a war of extermination upon them. 
Mow them as often as they are large enough. Cut 
them down with re.apers. Clip them close to the 
ground with hoes, and when they appear among 
brush, stone walls, or in any nook where they can- 
not be cut, put on leather mittens and pull them. 
Suffer no seed to mature. Few weeds can flourish 
for many years, if they can not perfect seed. 
Wheat. — Read the articles on winter wheat in this 
number. Prepare the soil well, sow in good seasou, 
or defer till next spring and sow spring wheat. 
Work in ilic Orchard and Nursery. 
The main work to be done in the Orchard is 
picking and marketing the fruit. Unfortunately 
this labor will generally be light, the amount of 
frnit being so small. As in other times of scarcity 
of fruit, prices will probably be high, and it will 
pay to make the most of what there is, and take 
the greatest care in picking and marketing, as sug- 
gested in last mouth's calendar. Gather peaches 
before they soften, so that they will reach the re- 
tailer unbruised. Pears should never mellow on the 
tree, but fall varieties are to be picked and market- 
ed as soon as the stem readily parts from the limb, 
and winter sorts allowed to remain uutil frosts come. 
Budding. — The peach is generally worked this 
month, but any other stocks, of which the bark will 
slip, may be budded. Stocks budded earlier in the 
season, are to be looked to, and if their growth h.as 
rendered the bandage too tight, it must be loosened. 
Drying and Preserviyig Fndts.- — Peaches may be 
both dried and canned, and apples dried carefully. 
Pears, put up in bottles with weak syrup are nice. 
Insects. — Treat borers as directed in last month's 
calendar, and destroy all cocoons and deposits of 
eggs that are found while picking the fruit. 
Labels. — The nurserymen will need a supply of 
these for the fall trade. All stoclis are to be proper- 
ly labelled at the time they are budded. Renew 
weather-worn labels. In all considerable collections 
of fruit there will be one or several trees of which 
the variety is not known. Take specimens of the 
fruit of these to the fairs, or to experienced po- 
mologists and endeavor to ascertain the name. 
Ma7iure. — The supply for next spring's top dres- 
sing ought to be accumulating now, and the com- 
post heap be growing by the addition of stable and 
barnyard manure, muck, ashes and other fertilizers. 
Nursery Mows. — Keep the growing stock clear of 
weeds by the use of the plow, and if the young 
trees need it, give them their final cutting back. 
Planting. — Preparation may be made for fall 
planting, by draining, manuring and plowing the 
land. Attend the horticultural shows and fruit dis- 
cussions, and visit frnit growers, to get all possible 
information about varieties before ordering trees. 
Seed.^. — Seeds of all kinds are to be saved. Pits 
of stone fruits, bury in the earth, taking care to 
save those from healthy trees only. 
iSeed Beds. — Young seedlings often suffer from 
drouth during this month. Water if needed, loosen 
the surface of the soil, and keep free from weeds. 
Kitcbcn Garden. — An abundance re- 
wards the labors of the gardener, and he ought 
to let nothing go to waste. In private gardens, 
where the surplus is not marketed, there are 
many things which can be preserved for winter 
use. Picldes of various kinds are to be salted, to- 
matoes preserved in jars or jugs, sweet corn and 
beans to be dried, etc. All refuse is to be carefully 
gathered up, not only to preserve neatness, but for 
the benefit of future crops. According to its n.a- 
ture it should find its way to the hog pen, the cattle 
yard, or be taken directly to the compost heap. 
Beans. — Preserve string beans in salt as noted 
last month. Shell the Limas and dry them. When 
soaked out in winter they will be tound an excel- 
lent accompaniment to dried green corn succotash. 
Cabbages and Caulifiowers.—'Roe the late plant- 
ings and look out for slugs, which are very trouble- 
some in some places. Where young plants are 
needed to winter in frames for early spring setting, 
sow the seed this month in open ground. 
Celery. — That in trenches is to be earthed up when 
it is about 10 inches high. For the treatment of 
that grown with surface culture, see details in Mr. 
Henderson's article in July number. 
Coj'jt. — As soon as the ears are taken from the 
early sorts, remove the stalks. Cattle are very 
fond of them. Save enough of the earliest and 
best for seed. Dry as directed under Household. 
Cucumbers. — Save seed as directed in last month's 
calendar. Go over the vines every day, or at least 
every other day and gather all suitable size for 
pickles and put them in brine. See Tim Bunker, 
on page 285. Those too large for table use make 
good sweet pickles, and those who like egg frnit 
will find cucumbers, when sliced, dipped in but- 
ter, and fried in the same manner very nice. 
Endive. — Blanch when the plants are a foot or 
less across. The object is to exclude the light and 
cause the central leaves to become white and ten- 
der, and to lose their bitterness, and it is accom- 
plished by tying the leaves together by the tops, 
by covering with a fiower-pot, or with a mat. In 
either case it should be done where the plants are 
dry, and if they are wetted by rain the leaves are 
opened for a short time to dry, and again covered. 
Kale. — Sow the kind called German Greens, 
which is hardy, and will winter over. 
Manure. — Have an eye to the wants of next year's 
crop, and let every particle of refuse from the gar- 
den go where it will be converted into compost. 
Melons. — Turn, to ripen both sides. They are 
ready to picic when the stem parts readily from the 
fruit. The quality is much improved by putting 
the fruit upon ice for a few hours before it is eaten. 
Onions. — When a majority of the tops have fall- 
en, the onions may be pulled. Those to be stored, 
should be thoroughly dried before housing them. 
Parsley. — Sow for plants to keep over winter. 
Sadish. — The Chinese Rose-colored Winter is 
greatly superior to any other kind of winter rad- 
ish. It keeps as well as a turnip, and is fresh, 
crisp, and has a good flavor. Sow early this month. 
Seeds. — Continue to gather according to hints 
given for last month's calendar. Label everything. 
Spinach. — Sow in drills 15 inches apart, and when 
the plants are large enough, weed and thin them. 
Sweet Ihtatoes. — The vines are to be moved occa- 
sionally to prevent them from striking root. Some 
of the largest roots may be carefully removed from 
the plants, leaving the smaller ones to grow. 
Squashes. — Continue to kill insects. Clear .away 
the old vines of the summer sorts. Allow the 
vines of winter kinds to root freely at the joints. 
Tomatoes. — The disgusting large green worm 
which is known as the tobacco-worm, which is the 
larva of one of the hawk moths, is very fond of the 
tomato. A single one of these will m.ake great 
havoc on a vine, and strip leaves and young fruit 
in the most voracious manner. When any tracks 
arc seen, search for aud kill the enemy. Preserve 
a good supply of the fruit in jars, bottles or jugs, 
.and make catsup, during the season of abundance. 
Turnips. — By giving the long turnips garden cul- 
ture, which implies frequent hoeing, a large yield 
may be had. The round sorts, if sown in good 
soil this month, will usually make a fair crop. 
Weeds. — There should be no unoccupied land in 
the garden, but if there is any which has no crop 
upon it, do not let it bear weeds. This is the seed 
time with many weeds, and a little care now in ex- 
terminating them, will save much future trouble. 
Winter Cherry. — Gather as the hulls turn yellow, 
and preserve or keep for winter use in a dry place. 
Frnit Garden.— Blackberries— Cut out 
the old canes as soon as the frnit is off, and allow 
only two, or at most three canes of the new growth 
to the stool. These should not be allowed to grow 
over 6 feet high. Shorten in rampant side shoots. 
Currants. — Remove suckers and keep out weeds. 
Grapes. — Unfortunately the majority of our read- 
ers will be at but little trouble to dispose of their 
fruit — I'ot and mildew having done that for them. 
Those who have escaped these scourges will get 
good prices, and ought to be ready with packages for 
marketing their fruit. New, shallow, wooden boxes 
which will hold 10 pounds of grapes are best. 
Those who have lost their crop ought not, as we 
have seen sever.al do, quite neglect their vines, but 
every pains should be taken to get strong .and well 
ripened wood for another year. Instead of allow- 
ing the laterals to grow and weaken the canes, 
they are to be kept properly pinched, and the pro- 
longation of the main shoot stopped this month. 
Pears. — Collect autumn varieties as soon as fully • 
grown, at which time the stem will part from its 
attachment to the tree by gently lifting the fruit. 
Spread upon shelves to ripen. There are but few 
varieties that are not greatly improved in juiceness 
and fiavor by ripening them in the house. 
Ra-ipberries. — Train up two or three new canes to 
each root, for fruiting next year, and remove all 
others. Keep the ground loose and cle.an about them. 
Strawberries. — Set out beds .as described in article 
on p.ige 284. Established beds, if hill culture is 
followed, should have the runners clipped. 
Flower Garden and Lawn.— If a 
good share of late blooming plants were provided, 
the garden should be this month quite as brilliant 
as ever. The Asters, Double Zinnias, .and Helichry- 
sums among annuals, and Salvias, Ageratums, and 
other bedding plants, are now in their fullest flower. 
Bulbs. — Set the spring flowering bulbs late this 
month, or what is quite as well, early next month. 
At all events it is s,afe to purchase bulbs .as soon as 
the dealers get in their stock, as the demand ha? 
been for several years greater than could be supplied. 
Bedding Plants. — Fuchsias, Lantanas and others 
which it is desired to keep over winter, are to be 
taken up and potted before the nights become very 
cool. Cuttings should be taken while the plants 
are still vigorous, and struck in pots, or in a sandy 
spot out of doors ; if properly treated, they will 
soon make good plants for flowering in the house. 
