1872.' 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
283 
Straw well scattered about iu the middle of the 
stack, and especially avoid letting it lie in a muss 
where deposited by the straw-carrier. Aim to have 
good straw to top off with. In a few days after 
the stack is completed, place a long ladder on the 
roof, and rake the straw down smooth so that the 
water will run off rapidly. 
Thatching.— -Wc do not advocate stacking hay; 
but we do most earnestly recommend any of our 
readers who have hay-stacks to thatch them as 
soon as they can get the straw. It is a mistake to 
suppose that it is necessary to have long, straight 
straw to thatch with. Short straw will answer the 
purpose. The first point is to wet it thoroughly 
and lay it out straight on the roof, commeuciug at 
the eaves, and lapping the courses as you would 
with shingles'. Rake smooth, and fasten carefully 
with pegs and hay rope or twine. 
Grain, when thrashed early, is very liable to 
heat. Turn it frequently, or run it through a fau- 
ning-mill. If it is very damp, mix dry cut-straw or 
chaff with it, and turn it every two or three days. 
Weeds.— The ber-t thing to do with the weed- 
seeds cleaned out of the grain is to burn them. If 
the screenings contain weeds, as they almost always 
do, they should be thoroughly boiled before feed- 
ing. If possible, allow no weeds to go to seed in 
the growing crops or in the fence-corners and waste 
places. Mow the weeds in the pastures. If the 
wheat or barley stubbles are weedy, it is a capital 
plan to go over them with a mowing machine. 
Beans. — Our own plan is to pull five rows at a 
time, and place the handfuls, with the roots up, on 
the middle row. If the weather is favorable, this 
is the easiest and quickest way of curing. They 
slmuM be lifted or turned as often as necessary to 
prevent the leaves on the ground from molding. 
If the weather is unsettled, it is the safest plan to 
cure them iu large heaps made so as to shed the 
rain. If carefully made, beans may stand in such 
heaps for weeks without injury. 
Wheat on Stubble Land. — A large and increasing 
breadth of winter-wheat is now sowu after barley, 
oats, peas, or beans. Whether it is best to plow 
such land once or twice depends on circumstances. 
As a rule, we think it best on rather heavy soil to 
plow twice — once immediately after the crop is 
gathered, and again just previous to sowing. On 
light sandy land we should barrow the stubble, or 
cultivate it to start the weeds and fallen grain, and 
plow a; soon as they had germinated. Then liar- 
row, and keep the surface clean and mellow by the 
use of the cultivator until it was time to sow. 
Root Crops, such as mangel-wurzel, rutabagas, 
carrots, parsnips, etc., should be kept scrupulously 
clean. U-c the hoe and cultivator freely. By- 
using 200 lbs. of good superphosphate per acre, a 
fair crop of Strap leaf turnip, may be grown on 
goo 1 dean land sowu as late as the first or even the 
second week iu August. Sow on fresh-plowed land. 
Drain in j Sirnmps and Getting out Mack are al « ays 
iu order this month. Grind the spades as sharp as 
possible, and go to work with a will. It is nothing 
like as difficult a job as most people imagine. On 
flat, level land the true way to dig a ditch is to 
commence at the lowest point, and dig just deep 
enough to Jaavc the water follow you up into the 
higher land. Tou will then lose no fall. Such 
muck as you intend to use for manure or compost 
should be thrown on one side of the ditch only, 
raid by taking a little pains it may be thrown in 
good-sized heaps with little extra labor. 
Cows. — During the hot weather in August the 
flow of milk is apt to fall off considerably, and it 
is difficu)t afterwards to bring it up again. Bran 
and spout-feed are unusually cheap, aud can be 
used to great advantage. Our own plan is to keep 
a large trough of water in the yard, and mix as 
much mill-feed with the water every day as the 
cows will drink. It pays in the manure, in the in- 
crease of milk, and in the improved condition of 
the cows. If you have any green com, now is the 
time to feed it liberally. If very succulent, let it 
wilt a little, and if very large and coarse, and con- 
sequently rather deficient iu nutriment, let the 
cows have enough corn-meal to make the fodder as 
nutritious as the best pasture grass. 
Sheep. — Lambs should now be weaned. Put the 
ewes iu a poor pasture, aud let the lambs have the 
run of some second growth clover or other rich 
grass. If the weather is wet and the grass succu- 
lent, give some dry food, such as clover hay, or, 
better still, bran. Remove the rams from the flock. 
Swine. — Let the breeding sows and store pigs 
have the run of the stubbles. Pigs intended to 
be fatted this fall should now be fed liberally, but 
should be allowed to run in the pasture. 
Water. — See that all animals have a plenty. 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
During August the gardener will have a little 
time for rest if he has succeeded in subduing the 
weeds, and has not allowed his work to sret ahead 
of him. A day or two of fishing or picnicking will 
afford a pleasing variation from the regular routine 
of daily labor. There are many odd jobs that can 
be done before harvesting commences, which will 
save, a great deal of time next season. Around 
most gardens, weeds are allowed to find a harbor 
along the fences and walls, and if permitted to go 
to seed it will be hard work to kill them next year. 
Preparations for draining may be made. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
The present month will be a trying one to the 
trees planted last spring unless a good mulch was 
applied after they were set out. It will not be too 
late to save many if a mulch is put around the 
trees now. If late web-worms infest the trees, the 
branches must be cut off and burned, or they will 
soou destroy the foliage of the whole tree. 
Marketing. — Care should be taken in sending 
fruit to market to assort aud pack it iu such a way 
that the highest prices can be obtained. The fruit 
should be packed so firmly in the box or crate that 
there will be no danger of bruising iu transit. 
Insects. — There is often much fruit which falls 
prematurely, which on examination will bo found 
to contain insects, and should be giveu to the pigs 
as fast as they fall, or, if preferred, the pigs may be 
allowed to run iu the orchard. 
Budding may be done whenever the bark is loose 
enough to lift readily, and well-ripened buds can 
be obtained. The maturity of buds may be has- 
tened by pinching the end of the shoot on which 
ihey are borne. When sticks of buds are cut, re- 
move the leaf, leaving the leaf-stalk attached to the 
twig. The twigs must be kept moist until used. 
Weeds. — If the nursery rows have been allowed 
to become weedy, they should be thoroughly culti- 
vated, and afterwards hand-weeded. A heavy 
mulch between the rows will save many seed- 
lings which would otherwise die from the extreme 
dry weather which often occurs at this season. 
Kitclicn Ciarden. 
Nothing can furnish more real enjoyment than a 
good garden well stocked with a variety of vege- 
tables, and a family can obtain their principal sup- 
ply of food from it. 
Asparagus, — There is danger of neglecting this 
during the rush of work, and allowing it to become 
filled with weeds, to the injury of the next year's 
crop. It ought to be hoed frequently to keep the 
soil light, and manure applied at any time now, 
will be of great benefit to it. 
Beans. — It is rather late to plant beans unless 
wanted for late snaps; a fair crop may be secured 
for salting or pickling. 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers. — Hoe frequently, espe- 
cially early in the morning when the dew is on. 
Liquid manure occasionally will be of benefit. 
Lime or salt may be used for destroying slugs. 
Carrots. — Cultivate between the rows until the 
tops are so large as to cover the ground, and when 
very large weeds make their appearance pull them 
out by hand. Thin out the late sowings. 
Celery. — Continue to earth up, and keep the 
ground well cultivated. Plants may still be put 
out, and will make a late crop. 
Corn. — Reserve the earliest and best formed ears 
for seed. Cut off all smutty ears aud burn them. 
Cucumbers. — Pick every day for pickles ; those 
not more than two or three inches in length make 
the best pickles. Those that ripen may be made 
iuto cucumber salad for winter use. 
Egg-Plants. — The present warm weather will 
give these a start, and a little liquid manure will 
benefit them. Hay around the plants will keep 
the fruit from touching the ground and rotting. 
Melons. — Cultivate until the vines cover the 
ground, and pinch back the ends of the vines where 
they are too long. 
Onions. — As soon as the tops fall down they are 
ready for harvesting. Pull and allow them to dry 
thoroughly before storing; when stored, spread 
thinly so that they will not heat. Store onion sets 
iu the same way. 
Radishes. — Sow Chinese Rose-colored Winter. 
Spinach. — Sow now for fall use ; the winter crop 
is put iu later. 
Sweet- Tvtatoes should be making a rapid growth 
now, and the ridges must be kept clear of weeds. 
Move the vines often to prevent taking root. 
Tomatoes. — Tie up to some sort of trellis, or 
place brush or bay around the plants to keep the 
fruit off from the ground. Destroy the green worm 
wherever found. 
Turnips. — Ground from which early peas, pota- 
toes, etc., have been taken, may be set with trans- 
planted ruta-bagas or sown with turnips. 
Fruit CJ:>rdcn. 
The principal work in this department is the har- 
vesting of the fruit, which promises to be very 
abundant. Surplus fruit should be preserved in 
cans or bottles, or dried. 
Blackberries. — Three or four canes only should be 
allowed to grow, and these must be cut off when 
they reach a bight of 4 or 5 feet, and the laterals 
pinched back when they arc 18 inches long. Fruit 
for home use ought to be thoroughly ripe before 
picking, while that for market must be picked 
before it is fully ripe. 
Dwarf Trees.— Tick off all deformed fruit, and do 
not allow the trees to overbear. 
Grapes. — Use sulphur if mildew makes its appear- 
ance. Keep the vines tied to trellises or stakes. 
Raspberries. — After the fruit has been harvested, 
cut away the old canes, and dig iu a good dressing 
of manure between the rows. 
Strawberries. — Now is a good lime to plant new- 
beds, and to renovate the old ones. Beds set out 
now, will produce a moderate crop next season. 
Plenty of stable rnauure is the' basis of good crops. 
Flower-Garden and Laivn. 
The fine growing weather of July has pushed 
forward the growth of plants very rapidly, but the 
Weeds have made correspondingly rapid march, 
and if the hoe and rake have not been in constant 
use, a great deal of weeding will be necessary to 
make the flower-garden look respectable. 
Box. — This beautiful edging must be clipped, to 
keep it in proper shape, and the present month is 
the time to do it. 
Climbers require to be kept neatly tied up to show 
off to the best advantage. A few small iron brackets 
screwed to the posts of the piazza or side of the 
house, and galvanized iron-wire stretched between 
the brackets, will make very serviceable supports, 
as they allow a free circulation of air between the 
house and vines. 
Grass. — Edgings and borders need a good deal 
of attention in order to look well, and if cared 
for often, will require but little time. The lawn 
needs mowing over at least every week or ten days, 
in order to make it look well. 
Dahlias and Gladioluses need stakes, to keep them 
