258 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
September, 
Orchard and Nursery. 
The principal busiuess now is the agreeable one 
of gathering and marketing the fruit. Hand-pick 
as much as possible, using step-ladders and fruit- 
pickers. Make at least two qualities, putting the 
superior and inferior specimens in separate lots. 
The aggregate amount of returns from sales will 
show that this pays. Gather peaches and early 
pears before they soften. See article on treatment 
of pears on page 371. Mark everything distinctly, 
especially if the empty package is to be returned. 
Budding. Peaches and other late growing stocks 
may still he budded, as explained in August. 
Drying Fruit. The crop will generally be fair, 
but not large, and all properly dried fruit will 
bring a good price. The more rapid the drying, the 
whiter will be the product, and the better the price. 
Hoeing. Keep the nursery rows free from 
weeds by use of the hoe and hand pulling. 
Insects. Probe out borers with a wire, or piece of 
whalebone. Destroy cocoons and deposits of eggs. 
Labels. See that all budded fruit is properly 
marked. Renew old labels when there is leisure. 
Pits. Gather peach and plum pits from healthy 
trees, and bury them for planting next spring. 
Flowing. Manure, plow and subsoil land intend- 
ed for autumn planting. 
Pruning. Finish up. Pinch back over-growth. 
Seeds. Collect seeds of trees as fast as they ripen, 
ilost varieties keep best in sand or sandy earth. 
Seed-beds. Water if need be ; keep out the weeds, 
and leave the soil with a loose, fine surface. 
Kitchen Garden. 
At the time this Calendar is written, the drouth 
still continues. The rains which have fallen have 
n'ot been copious enough to penetrate the soil to 
the necessary depth. The advantages of draining 
have never been more manifest than in this dry 
summer. In a well drained, deeply worked garden, 
the soil is found to be moist, at an inch or so below 
the surface, while in those not thus prepared it is 
dry for a great depth. Loosening the soil must 
still be practised. Harvest all crops as soou as they 
are in perfection, and clear off the ground. 
Beans. String beans may be prepared as for 
cooking and preserved in salt. See page 371. 
Cabbages and Caulifloioers. Hoe frequently. Sow 
seed soon for plants to winter in frames. 
Celery. When about 10 inches high, commence 
to earth up. Keep the earth out of the crowns, and 
do not break the leaf-stalks. Do it in dry weather. 
Corn. Always save the earliest and best ears for 
seed. Clear off the stalks as soon as the ears are 
gathered. Dry green sweet corn for winter use. 
Cucumbers. If small pickles are desired, go over 
the vines every morning and gather. Reserve the 
best and earliest for seed. Ripe ones make excel- 
lent sweet pickles, and they are good fried or 
otherwise cooked in the samemanneras egg plants. 
Endive. Tie up or cover with flower pots, when 
the flants are dry, to blanch. Hoe growing plants. 
Kale. Sow Siberian or German-greens, the hardiest. 
Lettuce. Hardy kinds may be sown with spinach. 
Manure. Large additions may now be made to 
the compost heap. Throw there all the refuse vege- 
table matter, with the occasional load of manure. 
Melons. Turn to ripen evenly. See August No. 
Mushrooms. Make beds as directed, p. 145 (May). 
Onions. Harvest when the tops fall over and 
cure for a few days in the sun before housing. Sow 
seed for plants to winter over. 
Parsley. Sow for plants to keep through winter. 
Badishes. Sow early sorts, and the Chinese Rose 
Colored Winter. See description in Basket item. 
Seeds. Secure as fast as mature ; label correctly. 
Spinach. Sow in well prepared soil, in drills 15 
inches apart. Thin when large enough, and weed. 
Sweet Potatoes. The hot weather has suited them 
and the vines cover the ground. Move them, to 
prevent their taking root. Some of the largest may 
be taken out for use, leaving the others to grow. 
Squashes. Clear off the vines of the summer 
sorts. Do not disturb the vines of the running 
kinds, but let them root at the joints. 
Tomatoes. Gather and enjoy, and preserve and 
dry a plenty for future use. Kill infesting worms. 
Turnips. Hoe, thin and weed. Seed sown in 
good soil will still give a yield in many places. 
Weeds. Exterminate. If they have flowered, do 
not put them in the compost heap, but dry them, 
cock them up and burn them. A good stock of 
ashes may be accumulated in this way. 
Fruit Garden. 
Blackberries. After the fruit is gathered, cut out 
the old canes. Allow two, or at most three canes 
to grow for next senson. These should have been 
stopped when about 6 feet high. Remove all other 
shoots, unless needed for new plantations. 
Currants. Keep down the weeds and shorten in 
weak and overgrown shoots or remove them. 
Grapes. See article elsewhere on the treatment 
of the vine. Hartford Prolific and other early sorts 
will now be ripening. The earlier the fruit can be 
marketed, the better the price. Shallow boxes, to 
hold 10 lbs. are best. See May Agriculturist, p. 146. 
Pears. Gather carefully ; ripen as directed p. 371. 
Raspberries. Treat the same as blackberries. 
Strawberries. Established beds where hill culture 
is practised, are to be kept free of runners and 
weeds. Those who get the "Agriculturist" or other 
new varieties should direct all their efforts to pro- 
ducing new plants. Read carefully the directions 
in this paper, and on page 343, last month. 
Flower Gnnlcn and T^awii. 
Bulbs. Set Hyacinths, Tulips and other spring- 
bloomers the last of this month or early in next. 
A sandy soil well enriched is best for them. 
Bedding Plants. Such Fuchsias, Lantanas, Gera- 
niums etc. as it is desired to preserve should be ta- 
ken up and potted before cool nights check them. 
Chrysanthemums should be coming forward rapid- 
ly. Afew well-grown shoots are better than a 
crowded clump. Pot some for blooming in-doors. 
Cuttings. Provide a stock of Verbenas, Petunias, 
and all such things, before the plants have lost their 
vigor. They may be struck in pots or in a sandy 
border if covered with a frame and partly shaded. 
Dahlias. This is the great Dahlia month. Keep 
carefully tied up and look out for insects. 
Lavms. Sprinkle seed on bare places. Eradicate 
all large weeds and mow occasionally. 
Seeds. Use eare in selecting from best flowers ; 
label correctly: Hardy annuals may be sown now. 
Walks. Keep clean of weeds, raked and rolled. 
GreeBi and HbtUSIoiiseS. 
The general overhauling and repairing ought not 
to be delayed. White-washing, painting, and glaz- 
ing are to be done. Eepair all damaged wood work. 
See that furnaces, flues, water-pipes, tanks and 
cisterns, are all tight and able to go through the 
winterwithout mending. Cleanse the house thor- 
oughly. Renew bark and sawdust beds. Procure 
pots Provide a good supply of pottiug earth, 
sand, moss, and every needed material. Do not 
wait for frost before bringing in the more tender 
plants. A cool night will give them a check, from 
which it will take long to recover. Have the house 
ready to receive plants this month, if necessary. 
Annuals for winter blooming may be sown. 
Bulbs. Re-pot Sparaxis, Cyclameas and others for 
winter blooming. Pot Hyacinths, etc. 
Callas. Divide and repot. They are always value- 
able for greenhouse as well as parlor decoration. 
Camellias. Repot. Give frequent, watering 
while they are .growing. Grafting may be done. 
Potting. Many things will need to be taken up 
from the borders to be kept dormant, or to bloom 
during the winter. Do it before cool nights come. 
Propagating of Geraniums, Fuchsias, and other 
bedding plants should be continued vigorously. 
Cold Grapery. 
There is scarcely anything to add to the sugges- 
tions given last month. Except the very late sorts, 
the fruit, is generally ripe. A dry atmosphere is to 
be maintained and the house kept, open, except 
during rains. The new growth is to be kept in 
check as heretofore directed. 
Apiary in September. 
Prepared by 31. Quinby—By Request. 
Look out for the weak colonies at this season. 
It is necessary to repeat this caution, more than 
any other— people are either forgetful or heedless. 
No reader of the Agriculturist should complain of 
his bees being robbed now ; — prevention is in his 
own hands. Ascertain at once, which the weak 
swarms are, and remove such as are not strong 
enough to defend themselves. As soon as the 
honey from buckwheat fails, there is the greatest 
danger. No strong colony will be plundered at 
first, or until all the weak ones are disposed of, 
and a habit of thieving is established. Avoid set- 
ting any refuse honey near the apiary. A queenless 
colony, very weak, and light in stores is not worlh 
saving. But when heavy, and uninjured by the 
moth worm, it maybe saved, but must be supplied 
with a queen and a colony of bees. The bees of 
two or three weak colonies may be taken if neces- 
sary to make a good one. When moved a mile or 
two, they will all remain in one hive much better 
than if put together from the same yard. If bees 
are taken from a diseased colony, they should he 
confined in an empty hive or box for at least 36 
hours before being introduced among others. 
The indications of a queenless colony now, are the 
few bees in the hive. Examine further by smoking 
and inverting the hive, looking thoroughly among 
the combs for the sealed brood, which is readily 
^seen, if present. When none is found at this sea- 
son, it is strong evidence that there is no queen, 
and something must be done to save the stock. 
Light, colonies that have constructed but little comb 
can not be made into winter stocks economically. 
Yet when plenty of honey is on hand to feed, so 
that they may make comb and rear brood, it may 
be possible to save them, but it must be attended 
to this month. Colonies that have bees and combs 
enough and lack stores, should not be fed till Octo- 
ber. All condemned colonies, when strong enough 
to resist robbers, should stand until next month, 
or at least until the very last of this, for all the 
brood to mature and hatch, that the combs maybe 
clean to cut out, or set away for another year 
Heinove all surplus boxes as soon as honey fails. 
"Bloat," in Ruminant Animals Cured by 
a Cold Water Bath. 
Rev. Dr. Anthon, Baron von Pneehelstein, writes 
to the American Agriculturist the following interest- 
ing account of his discovery and practice of a sim- 
ple and efficient remedy, as he avers, for the disor- 
der which is often so fatal to sheep and cattle : 
"An item m the July Number of the American 
Agriculturist leads me to communicate a very sim- 
ple remedy, that has always proved efficient during 
an experience of 30 years, and which I discovered 
thus : I owned in Germany a large flock of sheep. 
One afternoon the shepherd rushed alarmed to the 
house and reported that he had let the sheep to 
feed only a little (as he said) on the newly mowed 
clover, and that all the sheep were so terribly bloat- 
ed, that he could not move them. With all the 
help I could command on the estate, I hurried to 
the flock, all the known remedies, as the trocar 
operation, garlick, a solution of lime etc. could not 
