1878.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
365 
keeping, while Catawba and Isabella are excellent 
in this respect, tons being preserved every year. 
Pears. —The treatment of winter fruit is men¬ 
tioned under Orchard. That upon the shelves of 
the fruit-room needs frequent examination, that 
those in proper condition may be used when ready. 
Kitchen and Market (iarden. 
In many localities the garden will go into “ win¬ 
ter quarters ” this month, and where this is post¬ 
poned for a while, operations should be made in 
anticipation of the first heavy frosts. Tropical 
plants, like tomatoes, Lima beans, squashes, etc., 
succumb to the first frost; beets, carrots, celery, 
etc., are less sensitive, while parsnips and salsify 
endure the coldest weather without injury. 
Cold Frames should be made ready for cabbages, 
cauliflower, and lettuce. Choose a spot of light and 
dry soil, in a sheltered place ; if no spot protected 
by a fence or building is available, a temporary 
fence may be put up at the north side. If the 
plants are only to be protected, and are not ex¬ 
pected to grow, a very rich soil is not needed. If 
the frames are to be used afterwards for growing 
plants, then the soil should be well fertilized; in 
any case it should be spaded and made fine, remov¬ 
ing all stones, etc. The rear of the frame is a plank, 
12 inches wide, and the front 8 inches, and far 
enough apart to accommodate the sashes ; the 
length will be governed by the number of sashes ; 
the ends are closed by properly shaped pieces of 
plank. It is well to place strips from front to rear 
where each two sashes meet, for these to slide 
upon ; the ends of these slides are dovetailed into 
the edges of the front and rear planks, and it is con¬ 
venient to have a narrow strip placed lengthwise in 
the center of each, to separate the sashes, and allow 
them to run regularly, when moved upon them. 
Pricking out the Plants is done from the middle of 
this month to the middle of next. The}’ are set 
2i to 3 inches apart each way for cabbages and 
cauliflowers, and 2 inches for lettuce. The first 
two must always be set in the soil down to the first 
leaf, to protect the stem, the earth being pressed 
firmly about them. Water, and if the sun shines, 
shade for a day or two. The sashes will not be 
needed until there is freezing cold weather. In 
Virginia and southward, 
Ridges supply the place of cold frames for cab¬ 
bages ; the soil is.thrown up into ridges a foot or 
more high, running east and west. Instead of set¬ 
ting the cabbage plants in cold frames, they are 
planted in November on the south side of the 
ridges; in very cold weather cover lightly with 
straw or litter. As the plants are to grow here, 
the soil between the ridges must be well fertilized. 
The Storing of Roots and other crops must be pro¬ 
vided for. The plan of filling up the cellar of the 
dwelling with various kinds of vegetables is objec¬ 
tionable. Small quantities for immediate use may 
be kept there, but the bulk of them should be 
stored elsewhere. Roots for table use should be 
placed in the cellar in bins, boxes, or barrels, with 
sufficient earth among and over them to prevent 
shrivelling. If there is no root cellar, the plan 
of storing in pits or trenches is an excellent one. 
Pits for Roots must be made where water will not 
stand on the bottom ; they are dug 3 or 4 feet deep, 
6 feet wide, and as long as needed. The roots are 
stacked in these, beginning at the end of the 
pit, and fill 2 feet of its length ; a space of 6 
inches is left, and another section of 2 feet is built 
up, and so on, in each ease piling the roots up to 
the grouud level; the spaces are then filled in with 
earth, and the pit will present a series of sections 
of 2 feet of roots, and 6 inches of earth. The 
roots are covered lightly at first, but when cold 
weather comes, put on about 2 feet of soil, round¬ 
ed and smoothened, to carry off water. 
Harvesting of Roots should not be done until the 
growing season is quite over. Beets and carrots 
have their sweetness injured by hard frosts ; tur¬ 
nips may remain until there is danger of freezing ; 
parsnips, salsify, and horse-radish being perfectly 
hardy, many dig of these only what will be wanted 
while the ground is closed, thinking that they 
are improved by freezing. 
Sweet Potatoes are to be dug as soon as the vines 
are touched by frost, and allowed to dry in the sun ; 
large quantities are kept in houses that can be 
warmed to a temperature of 60°. Small quantities 
may be kept in a warm closet or other warm place. 
Squashes will not keep if the least touched by 
frost. If a frost is threatened, gather and place in 
heaps, and cover with the vines. Handle with great 
care not to bruise them, and store in a warm place. 
Tomatoes. —The season may be prolonged by cov¬ 
ering a few vines with a barn-sheet or other cloth, 
to carry them through the first frost. If the partly 
ripened ones are picked and placed in a greenhouse 
or frame, or a sunny window, they often ripen up. 
Celery should have the stems brought up together, 
aud the earth, first loosened with a hoe, brought to 
and pressed around it with the hand, sufficient to 
keep the leaves in an upright position. This 
“handling,” as gardeners term it, is all that 
will be needed for the portion to be stored for 
winter; that wanted for early use must be banked 
up with earth, quite to the tops, using the spade for 
the work. In the climate of New York, it is not 
stored for winter until next month. 
Spinach and Sprouts, in order that they may be of 
a good size to winter over, need frequent hoeing so 
long as growing weather continues. 
“ Making Garden ” is usually put off until spring, 
but the work should be commenced now by manur¬ 
ing and plowing wherever the crops ai’e off. If new 
land is to be added, or a new garden made upon • 
land in grass, apply a liberal dressing of manure 
and turn under the sod. 
Ft cetera. —Gather up all refuse and take to the 
pig-pen or compost heap, as may be_Burn all 
weeds that appear seedy_Provide covering ma¬ 
terial, such as leaves, marsh hay, etc.... Gather 
sweet-herbs, tie in small bunches, and hang in an 
airy place to dry... .Chickweed, common in the 
older States, will flower and produce seeds when 
not actually frozen — clear it off. 
Flower Warden and Lawn. 
In last month’s Notes, we made some refer¬ 
ence to the destruction of lawns by the “ white 
grub. ” Since then we have seen most melancholy 
evidence of its ravages. In some parts of New 
England, especially near Boston, the owners of 
fine lawns are well nigh discouraged. The “ white 
grub, ” the larva of the “ May-bug, ” “ June-bug, ” 
or “ Dor-bug, ” as it is variously called, has utterly 
ruined the turf. These grubs work just at the 
surface of the soil, eating the roots of the grass as 
they go, so that large sheets of turf may be lifted 
as if it were a blanket. As grubs they last three 
years in the ground, and these appear to be in their 
second year. So numerous are they that 12 bush¬ 
els were taken from one place that we visited. 
The trouble was not discovered until the work was 
done ; had the presence of the grubs been known 
early in the season, frequent rollings might have 
saved the grass. Of course the only thing to be 
done jvas to make the lawn anew. Some made ap¬ 
plications of alkalies and acids, and think they have 
saved their grass ; such are deceived by the growth 
of annual grasses, such as Crab-grass, (Panicurn 
sanguinale), Barn-yard Grass ( Panicum Crus-galli), 
and other late comers. The only remedy is to re¬ 
move the remains of the old turf, gathering and 
killing the grubs that are found, prepare the 
ground, and seed anew. Crows, blackbirds, and 
other birds were constantly at work, digging for 
the grubs, and though they destroyed many, the 
proportion, as compared to the whole, was small. . 
It is impracticable to attack the insect in the grub 
state, as it is hidden from sight, but there must be 
a combined effort to trap and destroy them in the 
perfect state of beetles, else this severe loss may 
occur again. It is no small expense to relay 10 to 20 
acres of lawn—besides, these grubs do not confine 
themselves to grass alone, but feed upon almost 
every growing thing that comes in their way. 
Chrysanthemums to bloom in-doors, should be 
potted, and those to remain in the. open ground 
will need stakes before the severe storms come. 
Spring Bulbs should be planted as soon as they can 
be had from the dealers. Those who are not fan¬ 
ciers, but wish a general effect, without regard to 
names, can buy assorted Hyacinths, Tulips, etc., 
by the dozen, of the dealer’s selection, much 
cheaper than named kinds. Double Tulips are 
very showy, they make a blaze of color, and are 
deserving of more attention than they receive. 
Bulb Beds need a light, open, and very rich soil 
the general rule is to put the bulbs below the sur¬ 
face to a depth equal to their own thickness. 
Crocuses and Snow Drops may be nut in patches 
here and there in the grass, and left to themselves. 
Old Bulbs. —Those which were taken up from the 
beds last summer, and those that flowered in pots, 
will never bloom so well again; these may be 
planted in clumps here and there in the edge of 
shrubbery and in the border. Their flowers, while 
far below the “standard,” are veryuseful forcutting. 
Protection from Frosts.— In the climate of New 
York, we usually have two or three nights of frost 
at first, and then some weeks of the finest possible 
weather, and it pays to be at some trouble to pro¬ 
tect tender plants during these early frosts ; alight 
sheet, or even newspapers, if over beds of coleus, 
cannas, geraniums, etc., will save them from these 
first frosts, and much prolong their bloom. 
Cannas do not keep so well if the foliage is killed 
by frost, and to have sound roots the tops must be 
cut away as soon as they are slightly nipped. 
Dahlias. —When the foliage is killed, cut away 
all above ground, and leave the roots until a bright, 
wanu day ; then dig them early, handling carefully, 
as they break easily ; fix the label sectfrely to cacb, 
aud allow them to dry in the sun all day. Store in 
a place that will keep potatoes in good order. 
Tender Bulbs, like Tiger-flowers, Gladioluses, etc., 
must be lifted before the ground freezes, and 
stored in a cool, dry place. Tuberoses that have 
not yet flowered, or have yet many buds, may be 
lifted and put in boxes of earth ; placed in a green¬ 
house or sunny window, they will finish blooming. 
House Plants, if any are still in the borders 
should be taken up without delay. See article on 
“Preparing for Winter,” ou p. 382. 
A Covering of leaves, straw, or littery manure, 
while not absolutely needed, may be given to most 
hardy herbaceous plants with benefit; it will cause 
a stronger bloom in the spring, while it will be of 
great service to those that are barely hardy. 
Leaves should be raked up not only as a matter of 
neatness, but for the sake of the leaves, which are 
one of the best possible covering materials. 
(iSrcenlDoiise sm<l Window Plants. 
The chief work with these, is to prepare them for 
their winter quarters, as indicated last mouth, 
which is supplemented by an article on a subse¬ 
quent page (382), and these together give about all 
that need be said on preparing for winter....We 
must emphasize the necessity for a 
Gradual Change from the open air to the confine¬ 
ment of the house. Plants in the greenhouse and 
in windows, should have full air on pleasant days. 
Plants for Forcing. —Many of the early blooming 
plants, including shrubs, force readilv, even in 
window culture, and give an abundance of bloom 
in February and later. Among the most useful are 
Perennial Candytuft; Bleeding Heart ( Dicentra ) ; 
Japan Astilbe (incorrectly, Spircea Japmiica), and 
Lily of the Valley, among herbaceous plants, and 
in shrubs: Slender Deutzia, Thunberg’s Spiraea, 
and even small plants of Weigelas, Forsythias, and 
Dwarf Lilacs may be used where there is room. 
These should be taken up and potted as soon as 
growth ceases, and placed in a cool cellar or in a 
pit where they may freeze, if it so happens, without 
injury. The end of December or early in January, 
is soon enough to bring them into a warm room. 
Bulbs may be grown in water, if one fancies, but 
the bloom is never so satisfactory as from those 
potted in rich soil. Pot early in good garden soil 
enriched with cow manure, and add enough sand to 
keep it open. The catalogues give descriptions of 
the various bulbs, with full details on their culture. 
