296 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[AtTGtJST, 
Irrigation.— See article on page 236. Make 
this subject a study. The sources of water are 
streams, ponds, springs, and wells. The last 
two of course, yielding usually but a small supply. 
The water may be conducted by following the ex- 
act level of the source to parts of the farm, where 
it will be quite surprising to find that it will run. 
Manures. — Push forward the compost heaps, 
using every available material. The manure accu- 
mulating at the stables may very profitably be 
used in making compost. Salt hay, sods, weeds, 
and muck constituting the bulk of the heap, the 
manure being spread in layers so as to get up a 
uniform heat by its fermentation. See article, p. 234. 
Meadows. — Put a greater breadth in order for the 
mowing machine, by sinking rocks, clearing off 
stones and stumps, leveling hummocks, etc. 
Oats. — Cut as soon as the grain in the latest 
head6 becomes plump, and may be rubbed out in 
the hand, but before there is danger of the ripest 
shelling. It is not desirable to have the grain get 
too ripe, as the straw is worth less for feeding. 
Pastures. — When cattle droppings accumulate on 
rich pastures, scatter them with a maul. Mow 
and burn weeds before the seeds ripen. Suffer no 
pieces to be too close fed. It often pays to run a 
mowing machine over the pastures to cut the tall 
wiry grass which may have been left by the cattle, 
and this gathered by the horse rake, makes a good 
addition to the stock of bedding or to the compost. 
Potatoes — Unless the ground can be occupied by 
other crops, do not dig potatoes early, except 
for marketing. Turnips may well be sown after 
early potatoes are removed, unless winter grain or 
grass is to follow. Don't give up the land to weeds. 
Poultry. — Allow them the range of the grain 
fields after harvest. Those of sufficient age will 
fatten as readily now as later, and bring better 
prices. Feed greens of some kind to all confined 
in yards. Whitewash the poultry houses, greass 
the nests and roosts. A little calomel in the ash- 
box in which the fowls dust, is said to destroy lice. 
Root Crops. — Keep the soil loose, open and free 
from weeds ; thin out freely. 
Sheep. — Tar the noses of all to repel the fly. (See 
article on page 239.) Separate the rams from the 
ewes ; wean the lambs and give them a good chance 
by themselves if possible. Keep ewes that have 
lambs unfit to wean, with the lambs, and in small 
flocks let the yearlings run with them. After 
taking a ewe from her lamb, examine heruddcr, and 
milk her if there is any danger of caked bag. 
• Swine may be put upon a diet of peas, feeding 
the unthreshed vines. There are few, it is likely, who 
have old corn to begin feeding with this year. Get 
hogs in as good condition as possible before you 
begin fattening in earnest with corn. Make pre- 
parations to cook the feed where it is practicable. 
' Timber. — Cut for building and fencing purposes ; 
peel and lay up under cover to season. 
Turnips. — Sow the Purple-top Strap-leaf variety 
on any land not otherwise occupied, the less sted 
used to the acre the better, as a rule — 1 pound is 
enough. It may be mixed with sifted loam, plas- 
ter, or bone dust, to secure an even cast, and in 
case it comes up too thick, the ground may be gone 
over with a loaded harrow, having half the teeth 
out. This leaves the turnips in rows, and stirs the 
soil well also. Do not put turnips on land you 
want for corn next year. Corn does not do well 
where turnips were raised the year before. 
Winter Grain. — Wheat may be sown to good ad- 
vantage after the 20th, if the weather is favorable. 
Orchard and rVitr§ery. 
The harvest from the orchard begins this month. 
Early apples, pears, and peaches are to be gathered 
and marketed, and, as with all other fruit, the price 
will greatly depend upon their condition when they 
reach the market. Peaches and pears should be 
picked before they soften. If gathered when ripe, 
but still hard, they will be in eating condition by 
the time they reach the consumer. Let all baskets, 
crates and other marketing packages be plainly 
marked with both the name of the owner and the 
person to whom the fruit Ls consigned. If it is de- 
sired to establish a good market reputation, let the 
parcels go without topping, but of uniform charac- 
ter from top to bottom. Endeavor to have yonr 
name carry with it the guarantee of honest dealing. 
Where there is a surplus, do not let it go to waste, 
but dry or put up in cans for winter use, and for 
hospitals. Trees should never be so overloaded 
that the limbs need support, still if thinning has 
been neglected, the branches should be prevented 
from breaking down by props of some kind. 
Budding. — See illustrated article on page 228. 
Evergreens. — If to be removed a short distance it 
can be successfully done this month, if care is taken 
to keep the roots from drying. Transplant on a 
cloudy day, taking up a good ball of earth on the 
roots. Fill the holes with water and let it soak away, 
before setting the trees, and fill up with good soil. 
Insects. — Borers lay their eggs now and the grab 
soon works into the tree; probe him out. A smear- 
ing of soft soap around the base of the tree will be 
serviceable. Break up late nests of caterpillars. 
Layers. — The growth of this year of shrubs and 
stools is now ready to layer. Spade and manure 
the ground, in order to induce roots to start prompt- 
ly, and peg down the branches deep enough to be 
below the reach of the dryness of the surface. 
Pruning. — Better do it this month than leave it 
until winter or spring. See last month's Calendar. 
Seedlings. — The beds need shading as heretofore 
directed; keep the weeds out and stir the soil be- 
tween the plants. Water if the plants are suffering. 
Seed 1 :. — Gather those of fruits and shrubs as they 
perfect and sow at once or keep for spring sow- 
ing, putting in sand, to prevent excessive drying. 
Thinning. — If this has not been already attended 
to, it may be done on late varieties with benefit. 
Water. — If trees set this spring are suffering 
from drouth, remove the surface soil, give a copious 
watering, let it soak away, and replace the earth. 
Weeds. — Clean tillage is required in both orchard 
and nursery. Keep the weeds down in the rows as 
well as between them. The bare spaces left around 
trees in orchards laid down to grass, should be 
kept clean, and not be allowed to grow up to weeds. 
Kitchen Garden. 
Now comes the harvest. Almost all that has 
gone before has led up to the present realization of 
fresh vegetables every day, a blessing which the 
dwellers in cities can not enjoy. Who ever tasted 
green peas in New York ? There are things sold 
called peas, but they are mealy grains, with tough 
skins, but entirely lacking in the delicious sweet- 
ness which belongs to the real thing. With peas, 
as with all other fresh vegetables, there should be 
but a short interval between the garden and the 
pot. Those who have followed our teachings, no 
matter how humble their condition, are enjoying 
luxuries which all the wealth of dwellers in cities 
can not buy. He who has a garden not only re- 
joices in the things which appear upon his table, 
but he has often a 6upply to sell to the less 
provident. If produce is to be marketed let it 
be gathered late in the afternoon, loaded over- 
night, sprinkling those things which wilt, and ar- 
rive at the market at the earliest hour the next 
morning. Farmers who live within a short dis- 
tance of towns and villages will find it to their 
profit to gradually extend* the culture of garden 
vegetables, and to leave the raising of large grain 
crops to those who are at a distance from market. 
Asparagus. — The growth of tops should now be 
encouraged, as they are accumulating material for 
next season's crops. If seed is wanted for new 
beds, the most vigorous roots should have been 
marked for this purpose. Gather the seeds as soon 
as they ripen, and sow at once, or keep until spring. 
The shading by the tops will keep down all but a 
few coar»e weeds, which may be pulled by hand. 
Scans. — Any of the bush sorts may be sown for 
late use, or for pickling. The Refugee or 1000 
to 1 is usually preferred for salting. 
Beets.— In pulling for use, take from those por- 
tions of the bed which are most crowded. Weed 
those sown last month, and thin to six inches apart. 
Hoe frequently until the tops prevent working. 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers. — If any plants remain, 
6et them out for latest crop. Hoe often. Destroy 
caterpillars or they will destroy the plants. 
Carrots. — Many prefer young carrots, and where 
this is the case seed sown now will give a late crop. 
Celeiij. — That planted early will need earthing 
up, taking care not to get the soil into the heart of 
the plant. The plants for a late crop should Bow 
be put out. Directions for preparing the trendies 
were given in the June Agriculturist. Shorten the 
root6 of the plants and remove any large straggling 
leaves. If the soil in the bottom of the trenches 
be dry, water it before setting the plants, and if 
the weather be very hot, shade them for a-few days 
with boards or brush laid over the trenches. 
Corn.— Mark the earliest and most prolific stalks 
for seed. Do not disturb the roots of that which 
is well advanced, but hoe thoroughly all late plant- 
ings, and if backward, give a stimulus orhen manure. 
Corn Salad. — Sow the last of this month or the 
first of next, in shallow drills six inches apart, and 
roll or tread down the soil over the seed. 
Cucumbers.— Reserve a sufficient quantity of the 
earliest and finest fruit for seed, and pick off all 
others from these vines. Gather for pickles as soon 
as large enough. Pickles for the army may be of 
larger size than those usually put up in bottles. 
Egg Plants.— Hoe well, and hill slightly. If the 
fruit touches the ground it is apt to decay. A 
shingle or some similar protection will prevent this. 
It should be taken for use before it looses its dark 
purple color, or the seeds begin to ripen. 
Endive. — Transplant, for the late crop, setting the 
plants 1 foot apart each way. Some of the early 
may be blanched as directed in Jnne, page 178. 
Herbs. — Continue to gatheraromatieberbs as they 
come into flower and dry in the shade. 
lAttuce. — Sow at intervals, in partly shaded spots. 
Melons. — Much of the fruit set will fail to ripen, 
and it is well to take off all that the frost is likely 
to injure. Put a handful of straw or a piece of 
board under the ripening fruit, and give it a turn 
occasionally to ensure even ripening. All melons 
are better if picked in the afternoon, and cooled 
in the refrigerator for use next day. 
Mushrooms. — The beds maybe made next month, 
and it is well to be collecting a supply of horse 
droppings, and have them in readiness. 
Onions. — As soon as the tops of the greater part 
of the bed fall over, the crop is ready to harvest. 
Let them remain a few days in the sun and then 
stack in heaps of two or three bushels each to 
cure. Where they are marketed at once, this is not 
necessary. If stored in a cool airy place, there is 
no difficulty in keeping onions sound a long time. 
Peas. — Some of the early varieties may be sown 
now with a fair chance of getting a late 6upply. 
Save seed carefully from the earliest and best. 
Clean off the vines after picking, and feed to sheep 
or swine, and prepare the ground for turnips, etc. 
Potatoes. — Of course only the early sorts are 
grown in the garden. In digging from day to day, 
bury the green tops as they will serve to enrich the 
soil. Allow those intended for seed to remain un- 
til thoroughly ripe, but dig before the fail rains. 
Radish. — The winter sorts may be sown now. 
The best of these is the Scarlet Chinese Winter. 
It is superior to the white and black winter sorts. 
Seeds.— Gather with care all that are ripening. 
Many, such as lettuce, salsify, etc., will ripen if the 
stalks are cut when the seeds are fully formed, 
without the waste by winds and birds which will 
occur if left in the garden until quite mature. 
Label every thing as soon as it is gathered, and do 
not in any case trust to memory for names. 
