1879.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
early curing, allows the husking to be done in good 
season, and the fodder to be housed before winter. | 
In Shocking Corn, the use of good bands will 
save much labor and loss. Some sheaves of liaud- 
thrashcd rye-straw, thoroughly well wetted, will 
make tough and strong bands. What is much 
wanted is a permanent and strong sheaf-band for 
this purpose, which will last more than one season, 
and will serve for corn and other grain. Osier 
willows may be profitably grown for sheaf-bands. 
Potatoes.— Early potatoes should be dug without 
delay. A few rains will start the ripe tubers into 
new growth, to their iujury. Late potatoes should 
be thoroughly cleared of beetles, before it is too 
late to prevent the larvue from retiring to the 
ground for maturing. It is the last brood of in¬ 
sects which stocks the ground for the next season. 
Rats.— The damage by rats is one of the most se¬ 
rious losses to which farmers are subjected. On 
the whole, this loss is doubtless greater than that 
from all the fires which occur upon farms. We 
have tried a preparation called “Poisoned Wheat,” 
put up for the purpose of destroying vermin, and 
find it very effective. The rats disappear ; that is, 
all that can be noticed. But poison of any kind 
should be used so that fowls or other animals can¬ 
not get it. To destroy the vats is now a timely 
work, and will prevent much future loss of grain. 
Live Stock. —During the hurry of work at this 
busy season, the stock ought not to be forgotten. 
One of the most important requisites for health 
and thrift is regularity in feeding and watering. 
This refers not only to times of feeding, but to 
quantities and qualities of fodder. Now that grass 
is past its best state, the stock may have some 
roots pulled for them, or some corn-fodder cut, 
and young animals will be greatly benefited by a 
little concentrated food. It is important that live 
stock have a plenty of good fresh water, especially 
at this time of the year, when the herbage does not 
afford the abundance of juices of spring growth. 
Sheep. —A run in a field from which early roots 
have been gathered will be beneficial to the flock. 
It will help to accustom them to the change of 
food which will soon be required. Small or imper¬ 
fect roots may be left ungathered for them, which 
they will pick up for themselves. Where early 
lambs are not desired, the rams should be kept 
separate from the ewes ; or, if it is not convenient, 
the ram may be aproned or “ bratted.” 
Pastures .—The droppings of the animals on the 
pastures should be scattered and spread. This not 
only manures the field, but prevents injury to the 
spots covered with droppings. A dressing of plas¬ 
ter over the pasture will be useful, sweetening the 
fouled spots, and so avoiding the unequal character 
of the surface caused by the neglect of cattle to eat 
down the herbage in otherwise distasteful places. 
Sundry Matters. —Harvesting machinery should 
be cleaned and stored away. The bright parts may 
be kept from rusting by coating them with paraf¬ 
fine or tallow. One of the best preparations to 
protect iron or steel from rust is made by melting 
a pound of fresh (not salt) lard, with a piece of 
rosin the size pf a hen’s egg—the exact proportion 
not important. Melt the two together, and stir as 
it cools ; keep secure from dust, and use it on all 
parts of machinery liable to injury by rust_The 
bearings should be well wiped, and oiled with cas¬ 
tor-oil. All dust should be removed, and, with 
costly machinery, it will pay to provide a sheet or 
blanket to cover it with as a protection from dust. 
-Where swamp-muck is to be dug, it is best to 
give the work by contract. A good man can make 
fair wages at 15 cents a cubic yard ; if the workman 
is not a good one, he cannot expect higher pay on 
that account. Muck should be dug before cold 
weather comes, as it is disagreeable work when the 
ground is full of cold water... .Hay that is stacked 
should be hauled in, or the stack should be pro¬ 
tected on the top by extra covering. Coarse herb¬ 
age or weeds, not in seed, may be cut and hauled 
into the barn-yard, and spread to form a basis for a 
deep coating of manure and an absorbent for 
moisture. An abundance of litter will soak up the 
water, and prevent the drainage which so often 
flows from yards, and accumulates in foul pools. 
Notes on Orchard and Garden Work. 
_ -<j>- 
This should be a harvest month of, the orcliardist 
and gardener, in more senses than one. Aside 
from the iugathering of the maturing products of 
his own orchard and garden, there are the various 
fairs and gatherings, from which the experience of 
the most successful should be reaped. The wide¬ 
awake fruit raiser, will not only be on hand at the 
fairs with his best fruit, but ou the alert to learn 
how his competitors grew their products. Such a 
person will look upon the knowledge he can gain 
at the fair, as of much greater importance, than 
the money value of any prize he may secure. Too 
many go empty handed, and seeing what others 
bring, remark that they have better than that at 
home. Such persons make themselves very disa¬ 
greeable, and deserve no better treatment, than to 
have their statements met with—“ We don’t believe 
it.” These grumblers and boasters of what they 
left at home, are an injury to every fair, especially 
the smaller ones. They stand aloof and discourage 
others, instead of taking hold with their neighbors 
and making the fair what it should be. There is 
nothing that so interests one in a fair, as being an 
exhibitor. Every person should feel free to ask, 
(and answer too,) any questions that may come up ; 
it should be a time for the liberal exchange of 
thought and experience. Those who simply go 
around and see, are not gaining the information 
that the opportunity offers. The County fair should 
be talked of, for weeks before it comes, so that all 
the people of the region will learn that “ so and so ” 
is to exhibit “ this and that,” and thus awaken in¬ 
terest and secure competition. Those who can do 
so should go, and take their best things, to the 
State fair; —but the first duty is to the fair near¬ 
est home. While it is wise to give to the fairs all 
the time that can be afforded, the work at home 
must not be neglected,as the season’s profits depend 
largely upon the way the crops of the orchard and 
garden are cared for, picked, packed, and marketed. 
©H’chard and Nursery. 
Apples. —It does not pay to market inferior speci¬ 
mens ; but in this season of scarcity, it will pay to 
send smaller fruit, if fair and sound, than in years 
of abundance. Assort and pack with unusual care. 
Cider. —While the best cider is made from late 
ripening fruit, and in cool weather, the inferior 
apples and windfalls may be made profitable, by 
making them into cider for vinegar. Even those 
who have a cider-house, furnished with a mill 
and press worked by power, find it profitable to 
keep a hand-mill and press, for the purpose of 
working up windfalls and inferior early fruit, before 
the cider-making season, on a large scale, begins. 
Pnjing Fruit .—The primitive way of drying ap¬ 
ples, peaches, etc., exposed to the sun and air, also 
exposes it to insects. Excellent dryers are now to 
be had, and at a cost which the increased value of 
the dried fruit will meet in a single season. These 
dry with artificial heat rapidly, turning out a 
handsome light-colored product. In drying in the 
old way for home use, protect the fruit from in¬ 
sects, by netting, and provide some arrangement 
to dry by the heat of the stove in a rainy day. 
Budding is an important work at present, the most 
of the immense stock of peach-trees are budded this 
month, as are the pear on quince, and the cherry on 
the Mahaleb. The precise time depends upon the 
condition of the stock. The ties should be cut as 
soon as tin buds have become firmly set, or have 
“ taken,” which will be known by their remaining 
plump and green and falling away of the leaf-stalk. 
Peaches for shipping, should be gathered when 
mature, but before they begin to soften. A single 
over-ripe peach, will render an otherwise choice 
crate quite unsalable. Step-ladders should be at hand. 
Pears should always be ripened off of the tree, 
and must be sent to market before they soften. 
Half barrels are handled with ease and safety, and 
this is a favorite package. It should be lined with 
white paper, and packed from the bottom. In no 
case should the fruit be shaken from the trees. 
Various pickers are in use for reaching the speci¬ 
mens which grow upon high and unhandy branches. 
329 
Planting. —In those parts of the country where 
the autumns are long, fall planting is coming into 
j favor. The ground can be more thoroughly pre¬ 
pared, and planting can go on more carefully and 
with greater comfort. At this season raise a mound 
of earth about the newly set tree from 10 to 15 
inches high; this will serve to keep water from 
settling about the roots, keep away mice, and 
serves as a support to steady the tree. Trees may 
be set out before the leaves fall, provided the wood 
is fully ripe, and the leaves are through with their 
work, and are only waiting for a hard wind to take 
them off In this condition the leaves are readily 
stripped off by hand. If trees are to be set in the 
spring, it is best to prepare the ground now, and to 
secure the trees and heel them in, in a safe place, 
where water will not settle about and do injury. 
Fruit ©itrdeu. 
Blackberries and Raspberries are preferredly plant¬ 
ed in the fall, as they make such an early start in 
the spring, that the shoots may get broken. Keep 
this year’s canes cut back as directed last month. 
Currants and Gooseberries.- —Prune as soon as the 
leaves fall. Cuttings may be made at the same 
time, and planted at once in rows a few inches 
apart. A mulch may be applied with good effect. 
Grapes. —In gathering choice clusters use the 
scissors which hold the bunch after it is cut, thus 
avoiding the touching of the berries, which removes 
the bloom and injures their appearance. Those to 
be packed in boxes should be placed in trays and 
kept in a cool place for a few days, until the skin 
toughens, when they are to be packed with great 
care, using 3 or 5 pound boxes. Pack by removing 
the bottom of the box. For the mildew and its rem¬ 
edy see article on page 348 of the present number. 
Strawberries. —The beds should be kept clear of 
weeds. New beds may be made and set this month. 
Kitchen and Market Warden. 
When a crop is removed, clean off the ground, 
and dispose of any refuse and weeds. If no other 
use is to be made of it, occupy it with flat turnips. 
Beets. —Continue to hoe the late grown crop, un¬ 
til the tops are too large. Some thinning of the 
late sowings may be done for greens. 
Celery.— Keep clear of weeds.’ If some is want¬ 
ed for early use, straighten up the leaves and draw 
the earth to them with the hands. But around 
New York, this operation is not performed until 
next month, as the plants will now' make their 
most rapid growth in the cool nights and warm days. 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers are benefited by frequent 
hoeing, and a dressing of guano or other concen¬ 
trated manure is often applied with advantage. 
Com— Dry a quantity for winter use—it never 
comes amiss. Save the best and earliest ears for 
seed. Cut up and cure the stalks for winter fod¬ 
der as soon as the crop is off. Clean the ground. 
Cucumbers. —Gather for pickles every second day. 
Let none ripen save those needed for seed, and they 
should be of the earliest, otherwise the vines die.. 
Martynias. —Gather for pickles while very tender. 
Melons should be turned occasionally, as they ri¬ 
pen better. Remove the very latest ones as they set.. 
Onions. —Gather and store in a dry cool place. 
Sweet Potatoes. —The largest may be removed from 
the rows for use, and the rest left to grow. Do 
not allow the vines to root at the joints. 
Spinach for next spring is to be sown this month;, 
in drills 15 inches apart. First thoroughly manure. 
Tomatoes— Destroy the large green worms. Make 
into catsup when fruit is abundant. Gather green 
fruit for pickles before frost comes and spoils them. 
Turnips. —Hoe and thin the larger until prevent¬ 
ed by growth of tops. The Strap-leaf sown before 
the middle of the month will usually make a crop. 
Weeds— Do not put them in the compost heap if 
already gone to seed. It is best to burn them. 
Flower Garden and. Lawn. 
This is the season for the fullest show of out-of- 
door flowers, especially those in the larger beds. 
Cannas are now beautiful, both as to rich foliage 
and flowere, especially when they are in a large bed. 
