1876.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
323 
it of advantage to save all that can be gathered. 
Five bushels of clover seed per acre may be saved, 
if it is made an object to do it. This is worth as 
much as an average crop of hay. The ground is 
not exhausted by it. By attaching a sheet-iron 
apron behind the cutter-bar, so that the rear part 
drags upon the ground, the heads may be gathered 
and raked into heaps by a boy following the ma¬ 
chine. As the stalks are of little account for fod¬ 
der, the clover may be exposed to the rain and 
wind without damage, and with advantage, as the 
seed will hull out better for it. It may be raked 
up when perfectly dry, and put under cover to be 
thrashed in the winter. It is difficult to keep it dry 
by any way of stacking it out of doors. 
Cutting Com .—The value of corn-stalks for fod¬ 
der, is too often lost sight of in harvesting. To 
save the fodder as much as possible, the crop 
should be harvested as soon as the corn is glazed. 
After that nothing is gained by letting the crop 
stand, but much loss is risked by reason of storms 
or frosts. When the whole stalks are not cut, but 
only the tops above the ears, the fodder may be 
gathered soon after the first of this month. Bind¬ 
ing in small sheaves is a good plan. 
Sowing Corn-Stubble .—Where the practice of sow¬ 
ing the corn-stubble with wheat prevails, the un¬ 
sightly method of leaving the strips upon which 
the corn has been shocked unsown, should be 
avoided, both on account of its ill appearance and 
its want of economy. A considerable amount of 
ground is wasted, and weeds are encouraged. It is 
not much trouble to haul off the shocks, as de¬ 
scribed on page 328, and set them up in some place 
where the com can be husked conveniently, and 
what trouble there is in it is well repaid. 
Com Husking .—Many farmers are unaware that 
corn may be husked by machinery, and where a 
large crop is to be handled, the Philip’s Spiral Com 
Husker will be found a great help. Other helps 
for smaller growers, will be found in some greatly 
improved husking gloves that are now made. They 
are a protection against cold, and effective. 
Winter Pasture .—In many places, in the Middle 
and Southern States for instance, a winter pasture 
is very convenient, if not necessary. Rye is gener¬ 
ally sown for this purpose on fields intended for a 
spring crop, or the crop is left to grow after having 
been pastured. Three bushels of seed should be 
sown, and the earlier this month the better. 
Winter Oats .—This crop is coming into favor in 
Southern States, aud is being tested in the Middle 
States. It furnishes fall and winter pasture, or a 
heavier crop of grain than spring oats. Two bush¬ 
els per acre should be sown early this month. The 
earlier it is sown the better. 
Soiling Crops .—Rye is the first crop that can be 
used in the spring for soiling purposes. Those 
farmers or dairymen who intend to soil any of their 
stock, can best begin now by sowing a piece of rye 
for early green feed. The ground is cleared in time 
for oats and peas mixed, or fodder corn. To make 
soiling crops pay they must be richly manured, as 
much labor is involved in this method of feeding 
stock, and only heavy crops will pay for the labor. 
Boot Crops .—Forward crops of mangels or beets 
may be thinned now to help out the fall feed. The 
more room the leaves have to spread, the riper and 
more nutritious the roots will be. 
Sheep .—The whole flock should now be well 
looked after. Sheep intended for market should 
be pushed forward as rapidly as possible. Ewes 
intended to produce early lambs should not be 
stinted upon stubbles and bare pastures, hut should 
be supplied liberally with all the food they can di¬ 
gest. They may now be coupled with the ram. 
For market lambs the Merino ewe crossed with a 
Cotswold ram, is perhaps the best choice, giving 
large and rapidly growing lambs, which are easily 
fed and fatted. Experienced breeders have found 
no difficulty on account of the ram, nevertheless, a 
moderate sized, compact, heavy bodied ram is pre¬ 
ferable to a lanky rangy animal. 
Young Stock of all kinds should be prepared for 
winter. Get them in good condition before the 
cold weather arrives, or all is lost now that has been 
gained by the summer’s feed. To keep them steadily 
growing at all seasons, is the secret of raising 
profitable animals. 
Swine .—More improvement is noticable in swine 
than in any other stock, but unless improvement is 
kept up by the use of thorough-bred males, the 
stock will go back. As a primary principle in 
breeding, it may be said that a half-bred or grade 
male should never be liked to produce stock. For 
a sow that produces ten young at once, it is the 
very poorest enonomy to breed her to a poor male, 
no stock pays better to improve than swine, on ac¬ 
count of the rapid increase. 
Agricultural Fairs .-—Every farmer should make a 
point of attending his County Fair aud the State 
Fair that he can most conveniently reach. It mat¬ 
ters little whether it is that of his own or an adjoin¬ 
ing State. When there the most of his time should 
be given to examining the stock and implements as 
a study. Their valuable points should be found 
and contrasted, and notes made of these with the 
names of the breeders or the manufacturers. To 
study the various things exhibited, as though every 
visitor was a judge, and was expected to render a 
decision, would be time well employed. 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
In many orchards this is the harvest month, and 
care taken with the trees will now be repaid in 
fruit. The proper treatment of trees from the time 
of planting to that of bearing has as much to do 
with the quality of the fruit, as the difference in 
soils and climates. If trees are planted in well- 
drained soil, and carefully pruned at the time, and 
the fruit thinned when they begin to bear, the same 
variety will be much finer, than where these points 
are neglected. September is also the “Fan - ” 
month, and every grower of fruits and vegetables 
should select his best specimens of each for the 
neighboring fair, and if he can exhibit at the larger 
State and horticultural exhibitions, all the better. 
Marketing will occupy the attention of the garden¬ 
er, and the hints given in last month’s notes should 
be heeded. The fruit crop is so large generally, 
though there are localities with poor crops, that 
unless unusual care is taken in assorting and pack¬ 
ing, poor returns will be realized. The laying 
of drains should not be postponed later than this 
month, as the fall rains will hinder the work. 
Orchard rand. Narscry. 
Peaches .—Gather for market before they begin to 
soften, as one soft peach will spoil a basket or 
crate. See that they are carefully assorted, and 
handled as little as possible. 
Pears .—Never shake the fruit from the trees, but 
hand-pick always. All pears arc better when ripened 
off of the tree. A little practice will enable one to 
pick at just the right time, so that they will be in 
eating condition soon after they reach the con¬ 
sumer. New half-barrels, lined with white paper, 
are the best packages for choice selected pears. 
Apples. —Assort, and market only the good ones ; 
poor apples will pay best in the form of vinegar. 
Budding may still be done, as recommended last 
month. Label each sort carefully. 
Drying .—Make ample provisions for drying the 
surplus fruits of all kinds ; it is likely that only the 
best fruit will bring remunerative prices this season. 
Cider and Vinegar .—See that all inferior fruit is 
gathered and made into cider, before it has a chance 
to decay, rejecting all that is partially decayed. 
Seeds .—Gather stones of peaches and plums for 
raising stocks, and preserve in boxes of sand, 
where they will be kept cool. Collect seeds of all 
trees which it is desirable to propagate, as fast as 
they ripen, and sow those sorts at once, which will 
not keep, aud preserve the rest in a cool place 
until spring. 
Planting .—All land intended for fall planting 
should be plowed and harrowed, and put into 
proper condition for setting out trees ; if pos¬ 
sible, give a good dressing of ashes or ground 
bone. Stake out the ground ready for planting 
later in the fall. In northern localities it is better 
to plow the land, and allow it to remain until 
spring ; purchase the trees this fall, and heel them 
in, to be ready for setting in spring. 
Seed-Beds of fruit and ornamental trees must be 
weeded often, else the tenacious fall weeds will 
render the work almost impossible, without root¬ 
ing out the young trees with the weeds. 
E'Vusitt ®rai”4lc!i. 
Most of the fruits cultivated in this department, 
except grapes, will have been already gathered, and 
the main work will be to take such care of the 
plants, as will secure an abundant crop next year. 
Baspbcrries. —Cut away the old canes that have 
fruited, and burn. Tie up the new growth to 
stakes or other support, allowing only four or five 
canes to each plant; shorten these to about 4 feet, 
and the laterals at 18 inches. It is well to give the 
rows a dressing of manure, leaving it on all winter. 
Blackberries. —Cut out the canes which have fruit¬ 
ed, and tie up the new ones ; do not let them grow 
over 5 or 6 feet high, and keep the laterals to 18 in. 
Crapes. —Mildew sometimes appears just as the 
fruit is about to color; when this happens, dust 
freely with sulphur, and trust to the rains to wash 
it off before the fruit is gathered. In picking for 
market, do not handle the bunches ; scissors are 
made, which hold the bunch after cutting it. 
Currants and Gooseberries. —Apply manure to the 
surface to fertilize and mulch. If no manure is 
used, put on a mulch of litter. 
Dwarf Trees. —Gather the fruit from these as fast 
as it matures. Do not allow pears to mellow on the 
trees, but when the stem parts readily from the 
tree, pick and lay away on shelves in a cool fruit- 
room, to color and ripen. 
Kitchen das-deia. 
Asparagus. —If any seeds are needed, gather and 
allow them to ripen. When the foliage begins to 
turn yellow, cut and burn the old stalks. Give the 
bed a liberal coat of manure, which should be left 
on until spring. 
Beets. —Keep the late crops hoed, aud cultivate 
between the rows often, until the tops prevent. 
Sow a few early this month for late greens. 
Beans. —Hoe and cultivate as often as necessary 
to keep down the weeds. Gather Limas, and pick 
and salt dowu late string beans. 
Celery should now be growing finely, and care 
must be taken to keep down the weeds. Towards 
the end of the month draw the earth up to the 
plants ; do not allow any to get into the center. 
Cabbage and Cauliflower. —Hoe late crops often, 
sowing a little guano between the rows before 
hoeing, and water occasionally with liquid manure. 
Corn. —Save a few ears of the earliest and best 
shaped for seed. Cut the stalks from the early 
crop and dry for fodder. Dry a quantity of green 
corn for winter use. 
Cucumbers. —Gather pickles every other day, use- 
iug none over three inches long. The ripe fruit 
may be made into sweet pickle or cucumber catsup. 
Lettuce. —Sow a few rows for fall use in a cool place. 
Manure. —Make all the manure possible, by sav¬ 
ing house-slops, washing water, and all weeds 
which have not ripened their seeds ; turn and mix 
thoroughly the manure occasionally, so that it will 
rot rapidly. 
Martynias. —Gather the young tender fruit every 
few days,and put into brine, the same as cucumbers. 
Melons. —Turn occasionally, to ripen them evenly. 
Onions. —Gather and store in a cool, dry place, 
after the tops have fallen over. 
Seeds. —Save and label as fast as they ripen, and 
take care to put them where mice cannot reach them. 
Spinach. —Sow for fall use this month, and hoe as 
soon as up. 
Sweet Potatoes. —Move the vines occasionally to 
keep them from rooting. A few of the largest may 
be taken out for use, and the rest left to grow. 
Tomatoes. —Destroy the large green worm which 
eats the leaves. Before the frost comes gather a 
quantity of green ones for pickling. 
Turnips. —Hoe and thin the late sown crops, and 
