142 
August, 1891, 
/orchard 
GARDEN 
Seasonable Suggestions. 
3E skillful gardener al- 
ways keeps his eye on 
the garden all summer 
and as one crop passes 
away, at once prepares 
for something to follow, 
so that no plot is allow- 
ed to grow up in weeds 
and become unsightly. August begins the 
true fall cropping. In the Middle States 
from New York southward August is the 
best time to set the 
CELEKY CROP 
for late winter and spring use. In the South 
the last of the month and first of September 
is better than earlier. If the plants are not 
raised at home it is better to have gotten 
them earlier and set them closely in beds 
so as to have them at hand at any time. If 
yet to be procured we would advise all our 
readers south of the Potomac to avoid the 
dwarf celeries, and use either the half dwarf 
or the old tall sorts. Of these we like what 
is called the Giant Paschal. This appears 
to be identical with what used to be called 
Seeley's Leviathan. It is the best of the 
large growing sorts. When the climate al- 
lows celery to stand where it is grown we 
much prefer the bed system of planting, as 
involving less labor for an equal number of 
plants. Stretch a line along one side of the 
proposed bed. Have a planting board 
twelve inches wide and square on the ends. 
Notches are cut on the edges of the board 
six inches from the end and six inches apart. 
In planting, the board is set at right angles 
to the line and a plant set at every notch. 
The board is turned over and over as the 
work proceeds and the plants are thus set 
in rows one foot apart and six inches in the 
row. The board being six feet long and the 
first plant six inches from the ends, we have 
eleven plants in a row five feet long. The 
bed can be continued to any convenient 
length. When more than one bed is needed 
a space eight feet wide must be left between 
them for earthing. The whole bed is earth- 
ed up together and the bank carried up a 
foot thick on the outside. From last of No- 
vember to January, according to latitude, 
the bed is earthed over entirely and covered 
with forest leaves and corn stalks, and the 
celery left to be dug as needed. . 
WINTER CABBAGES. 
In North Carolina and southward sow 
seed of Late Flat Dutch cabbage the first 
week in the month. These will give fine 
plants for setting the last of the month, and 
success is much more certain than from 
earlier sown seeds. The plants should be 
set in moist and fertile soil and should be 
heavily manur d and cultivated rapidly. 
When the green caterpillars appear sprin- 
kle Pj rethrum powder on them. This is 
the best remedy yet discovered. The crop 
will head well by Christmas it the fall is 
not too dry. 
KALE. 
The last of the month in the Middle At- 
lantic States is the best time to sow the crop 
of winter kale. It is commonly sown broad- 
cast, but we prefer to sow it in rows and 
cultivate well. Northward the Dwarf Ger- 
man Kale is best, but in milder latitudes 
the Green Curled Scotch is much better. 
September is early enough for the crop in 
North Carolina and southward. 
LETTUCE. 
Lettuce for heading in late autumn and 
up to Christmas should be sown the latter 
part of the month, and should be set in 
frames in September, so that the sashes can 
be slipped over them when the weather gets 
cold. This sowing can all be headed in the 
open ground in this latitude and a later 
sowing made for the frames. For fall and 
winter use we prefer theclose growing head- 
ing sorts like Boston Market or Grand Rap- 
ids. Black-seeded Simpson is also good but 
does not make a compact head. 
LATE POTATOES. 
In North Carolina the late potato crop 
should be planted about the middle of the 
month. If the potatoes have been bedded 
as advised it will be found that all those 
which will glow, will now have started the 
eyes. These are to be planted whole, and 
covered very shallow. Plow deep furrows 
by running a plow twice in the same line. 
Cover shallow and gradually work in the 
soil as growth of top proceeds, until finally 
the cultivation is finished perfectly level. 
By getting Southern grown seed we have 
no doubt this crop can be grown much fur- 
ther north by planting the first of the month. 
We have grown very good potatoes in 
North Carolina planted as late as the mid- 
dle of September but they do not get so 
thoroughly ripened. We think the time is 
not far distant when northern planters will 
seek these late grown potatoes for spring 
planting because of their entirely unsprout- 
ed condition and consequent stronger 
growth. 
TURNIPS. 
The Strap Leaf sorts should be sown this 
month northward, but south of the Poto- 
mac September is early enough, as they are 
apt to get overgrown and worthless for ta- 
ble use sown earlier. Sow all turnips in 
rows and never broadcast, unless as in 
North Carolina, they are sown mainly for 
their tops to use as greens in winter and 
spring. Red Top Strap Leaf is best for ta- 
ble use. There are many other large-grow- 
ing sorts suitable for stock feeding, but this 
is best in a young state for table use. Rob- 
ertson’s Golden Ball is a tint. “> growing 
turnip and keeps better. A variety known 
as North Carolina Prize is now largely 
grown above Raleigh and is very highly 
esteemed. 
TOMATOES. 
When tomatoes are forced under glass 
the first crop should be sown the last of the 
month and successions in September. The 
first sowing will be potted and placed in the 
house for the early part of the winter and 
the later sowings protected in frames from 
early frosts and potted later on. Tomatoes 
are best forced entirely in pots, and a suc- 
cession brought on as the first pass their 
crop. 
RADISHES. 
Sow crops of Rose Colored Chinese winter 
radishes in succession up to last of Septem- 
ber, the latter date for the South only. In 
North Carolina a covering of straw or cot- 
ton seed hulls between the rows is all that 
is needed to keep them in good order all 
winter. In latitudes where the cold is se- 
vere the late ones should be lifted and pit- 
ted the last of November. 
PEAS. 
Late in the month sow a crop of Premium 
Gem peas. It is best to sow in a deep 
trench, cover shallow and earth up as they 
advance. In North Carolina succession 
sowings can be made up to last of Septem- 
ber. Mildew is the chief difficulty with 
these late peas. Flowers of sulphur is 
about the best preventive, dusted on the 
foliage. 
SWEET POTATOES. 
In North Carolina and southward, make 
cuttings of the vines a foot or two long the 
first of the month. Roll them in a coil 
around one hand and plant the coil in a hill 
leaving only the growing tip exposed. 
These cuttings will make much the best po- 
tatoes for late keeping into Spring, and 
make the best for bedding for spring plants. 
CUCUMBERS. 
It is not too late in the South to plant 
cucumbers for pickles, but it should be at- 
tended to at once. Improved White Spine 
is as good as any. 
BEANS. 
Keep sowing succession crops of string 
or snap beans until September. Our prac- 
tice is to sow as soon as the last sowing de- 
velops the second leaf. We thus have no 
breaks in the supply. 
BEETS AND CARROTS. 
Early Blood Turnip beets may still be 
sowm for winter use if desired, and Early 
Horn carrot will still mature as will also 
the intermediate stump-rooted sorts. 
ONIONS. 
Early Queen onions sown the first of the 
month will make a fine crop of beautiful 
pickling onions, which are very desirable 
from their small size and mildness. 
SPINACH. 
Late in the month sow a full crop of win- 
ter spinach. We prefer for this sowing the 
Smooth-seeded Norfolk Savoy Leaf. — W. F. 
Massey, Raleigh, N. C. 
Onions for Pickles. 
If one has a piece of moist, cool, light 
soil a nice crop of pickling onions may be 
raised by sowing during August seed of the 
Early Queen onion. Sow in shallow drills 
with fertilizer, and tread the soil firmly. 
t 
