AMEBICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
219 
Apples—Pick Winter varieties with care mm. and lay 
them in the fruit room or barrels at once, leaving the 
heads off until the sweating process is completed. Try 
salt and also lime barrels, or lime sprinkled in for a por¬ 
tion, and note the results. Keep cool and dry. Buds in¬ 
serted last month need looking to ff., if the bandages have 
not already been loosened. 
Evergreens may be removed f. m. if done with care. 
As often stated, Spring is preferable. 
Fruit Trees—Apples, Pears and Quinces, may very 
properly be set out early in this month. It is better to 
leave the more tender stone fruits, such as Apricots, 
Peaches and Nectarines, till next Spring. Cherries and 
Plums succeed well with Fall planting if done early on 
dry ground. 
Grounds for Fall or Spring planting either in orchard 
or nursery, should now receive a heavy manuring, and 
be plowed and subsoiled, or trenched. They will be in 
a planting condition much earlier for it. 
Hoes may still be required to remove late weeds which 
sometimes live through the Winter, if unmolested. 
Labels—See that those on standard trees are sufficient 
for the Winter. In addition to labels, the name of every 
variety should be recorded in a book for that purpose, so 
that you may cut buds or grafts with a certainty as to 
kind. Suffer no single tree, or bundle of one variety to 
leave the nursery without a plainly written label attached. 
Mice—Guard against their ravages both in the orchard 
and nursery, by removing all weeds, grass and rubbish 
from about the trees. To protect the trunks of standards, 
take sheet lead or even tea-chest lead, old floor oil cloths, 
or birch bark, and encircle their bodies for about ten 
inches in hight, pressing the bottom a little into the earth 
and slightly banking up about them. Of course they 
should fit closely to the tree and be removedinthe Spring, 
and laid away for future use. If the season proves wet 
during late Fall there will be very little danger of mice 
gnawing the roots beneath the ground. If dry, wajk 
around each tree and use a stick to see if any burroughs 
have already been made, and if found, place in them corn, 
meat or other food combined with strychnine or arsenic. 
Follow this up till the ground freezes, and it is not likely 
your trees will be injured. 
Ornamental and Shade Trees—Plant the deciduous or 
leaf-shedding, mm. 1., or immediately after the Fall of the 
leaf. 
Pruning may still be done, though as above stated we 
prefer July and August. 
Seed Beds—Prepare by deep plowing, and a good dres 
sing on moderately dry soil, where no water will stand 
during the Winter. 
Stone Fruit and hard shelled Nuts—Collect and plant 
or put in earth at once. Early Spring planting will an¬ 
swer if the seed is put in boxes of earth as soon as ripe 
and exposed to frosts during the Winter. Some of those 
requiring this treatment are Apricots, Cherries, Necta¬ 
rines, Peaches, Plums, Nuts of nearly all kinds, Acorns, 
Thorns, Buttonwood, Magnolia, Tulip, Dogwood, &c. 
Apple, Pear and Quince seeds should be treated in the 
same manner. 
KITCHEN AND FRUIT GARDEN. 
The gardener will now find employment in ha rvesting 
late crops, preparing grounds, sowing cabbages, onions, 
lettuce, spinach, &c., covering plants and arranging and 
planting his cold frames with early Spring crops. In 
gathering late vegetables, he should collect all the tops 
and small root?, also tomatoes, squashes, &c., not suitable 
for family use and feed to cattle and hogs. 
Asparagus—Prepare grounds and plant new beds f. m. 
Cut down old growth and cover both old and new beds 
with coarse manure or stable litter 11. 
Bean Poles—Collect 11. and store in Winter quarters. 
Beets will not bear much freezing. Harvest m. or 
before frost. Remove the tops without cutting the 
crown enough to bleed. Store in cool dry bins away 
from frost. 
Blackberries—Plant mm. 1. on deep good soil 
Cabbages and Cauliflower—Set those sown last montu 
thickly in a cold frame m. 1. to be covered during the 
Winter. Late growing cropsstill want working with the 
plow or horse-hoe. Harvest mature crops 11. and store 
according to directions above. 
Carrots—Dig and store for Winter m. 1. 
Celery—Continue to earth up ff., in dry weather. 
Avoid covering the crown of the plant. Pull 11. and put 
in Winter quarters either in a trench against a fence, 
covering with straw and boards, or having cut off a por¬ 
tion of the tops and roots set as many as will stand in 
a barrel and sift in dry sand enough to cover them. Put 
in another tier and so on until filled, keeping the whole 
in a dryout-house or cool cellar. 
Cold Frames should be in readiness in the early part of 
the month. They are easily made by setting boards or 
plank upon edge and nailing them together around a bed 
of any desired size. It is better to face them toward the 
South, with a hight of one foot in front, and two feet upon 
the back. Glass sash are the best covering, but in the 
absence of these, shutters or even boards will answ er. 
These flames are to be filled with cabbages, Cauliflowers, 
broccoli, lettuce, &c. Set thickly f. m. aiid cover until 
they are well established, admitting a little air each day; 
afterwards the covers may be raised until freezing weath¬ 
er. Upon the approach of Winter, bank up about the 
frames with earth, manure or litter, and cover the whole 
with boards, evergreen brush, mats, &c., to protect them 
from too great a degree of cold and sudden changes. 
Ventilate during mild Winter weather. Radishes, 
lettuce and spinage may be sown in them at the time of 
planting and will afford a very early Spring crop. 
Currants and Gooseberries—Set out rooted plants f. m.; 
make cuttings m. 1. for Spring setting, keeping them in 
dry sand in the cellar. 
Grape Vines—Take down tender varieties 1. and cover 
with earth or litter. Even Isabellas and Catawbas are 
better laid upon the ground than exposed upon the trellis 
to the sudden changes of our climate during Winter. 
Lettuce—Plant f. m. in cold frames. Seed may be 
sown at the same time. 
Mushrooms.—Make beds ff. m. Cover them 11. if the 
weather is severe. 
Onions—Cover with litter, straw or brush, 11. those 
sown last month. 
Parsneps—Take up m.ll. what are wanted for Winter 
use, and bury in sand in the cellar or put in barrels, sifting 
sand among them. Leave those for Spring use in the 
ground during Winter. 
Potatoes—Complete digging ff. m. Try lime barrels for 
keeping them in. 
Radishes—Scatter seed among the contents of the cold 
frame ff. m. 
Raspberries—Plant ff m. on rich, deeply worked, rather 
dry soil. Cover tender varieties with earth m. 11. or 
before the ground freezes for the Winter. 
Rhubarb—Plant Linnaeus or Victoria mm., and sow 
seed at the same time if new varieties are wanted, though 
there is perhaps not one chance in a hundred that the 
same variety will be obtained. The plants come for¬ 
ward much earlier in Spring when set in the Fall. 
Salsify—Treat as parsneps. 
Seeds—Continue to collect the late varieties for plant¬ 
ing another season. 
Spinach—Cover 11. the sowings of last month and sow 
seed f. m. in cold frames. 
Squashes—Take in before they freeze and keep in a 
cool dry place as long as may be, previous to putting in 
the cellar. 
Strawberries may still be planted ff. if not done last 
month. See page 230. Do not allow old beds to become 
overrun with weeds and grass. 
Turnips are still increasing in size. Harvest Winter¬ 
keeping varieties only when severe weather is threatening. 
Weeds should decay in the hog pens, rather than in 
the garden. 
FLOWER GARDEN AND LAWN. 
These grounds are usually too much neglected this 
month. In the Spring when planting is generally going 
on and the unfolding buds of the early blooming bulbs in¬ 
vite to the flower border, we are wont to look among the 
shrubbery, adding anynew varieties which give promise 
of beauty. But at this comparatively dull season when 
the beauty has mostly departed, too few have an eye to 
another year, and they neglect planting those hardy roots, 
early blooming shrubs, and deciduous shade trees, which 
give a freer and more beautiful bloom, and often succeed 
better when planted in the Fall than if left till Spring. 
A list of these will be found below. 
Towards the latter part of the month, after all the flow¬ 
ers have been killed by heavy fi^st, put the grounds in 
Winter order with nearly the care usually bestowed on 
them in the Spring, although much less labor is now re¬ 
quired. Cut away all dry and decayed flower stalks, and 
remove them from the grounds. Gather and house stakes ; 
clean beds and walks from any grass or weeds wrongly 
allowed to grow in them ; rake the gravel smoothly and 
so arrange everything that as many attractions as possi¬ 
ble will greet the eye during the Winter months. 
Anemones and Ranunculuses should be planted f. m. 
The former require much care to succeed well. 
Annuals—A few hardy flowers mentioned last month may 
still be sown II. to be protected by frames during the 
Winter. 
Bedded Plants—Lift before heavy frosts, and pot for 
Winter or early Spring blown, Geraniums, Verbenas, 
Fuchsias, Petunias, &c. Cuttings may now be taken to 
form new plants of each of the above. Place them in pots 
at once. 
Bulbs—Plant f. m. as directed on page 230. The Flow 
er Garden will not be complete without a good assort- 
mentof these. 
Carnations and Picotees—Pot the layers which are 
now rooted, and remove them inside 11., or pack in frames 
or pits. 
Chrysanthemums are now nearly “ alone in their glory,« 
most of the other flowers having faded and gone. Keep 
supported to stakes, cutting away only when killed by 
hard freezing. 
Dahlias and Gladiolas—Mark the different varieties be¬ 
fore the blooms disappear, and take up II. and put in box 
es of earth or sand in a cool dry cellar. 
Dielytra Spectabilis—Plant mm. 1., dividing the roots. 
Daisies, Polyanthus and Primroses—Plant in sheltered 
situations m. 1. or cover with frames. 
Evergreen Trees and Shrubs—These may be planted 
now if done with care. As often stated, we prefer May to 
transplant these in. 
Frames—Construct as described under Kitchen Garden 
for half hardy plants, requiring a slight Winter protection. 
Grass and Gravel—Keep both in good order, raking off 
the leaves and keeping free from weeds. 
Grounds for Spring planting will be improved by thor¬ 
ough digging and trenching this Fall. 
Pmonies—Transplant, or plant out both the herbaceous 
and tree varieties mm. 1. By planting now they will 
bloom more freely next Spring, than if left till that time. 
Perennial Plants and roots may all be divided and re¬ 
set the latter part of this month. 
Pits for Flowers—These can be cheaply constructed in 
accordance with the plan described on page 70 of the 
present volume (April No.). 
Seeds—Gather any late varieties as fast as they ripen. 
Dry them thoroughly and label. 
Shrubs—Plant Pyrus Japonica, Dwarf Almond, Hardy 
Azalias, Sweet Scented Shrubs, Scotch Broom, Mezereon, 
Deutzias, Honeysuckles, Euonymus, Altheas, Hydrangeas 
Jasmine, Privet, Mahonias, Syringos, Flowering Currants, 
Spiieeas, Snowberry, Lilacs, Viburnums, Roses and Chi¬ 
nese Weigelia. These are desirable hardy shrubs,many 
of them blooming quite early in the season, and on this 
account do best with Fall planting. 
Stocks and Wall Flowers—Take up and pot, carrying 
to greenhouse or pits. 
Trees—Plant deciduous ornamental and shade trees 
mm. 1., unless they are of tender species, when the plant¬ 
ing better be deferred till Spring. 
GREEN AND HOT HOUSES. 
Having thoroughly cleansed and repaired these as di¬ 
rected last month, the flues and furnaces being in readi¬ 
ness to start fires at any moment, look to those plants 
still out, and bring them in as they require it. The more 
tender ones will need housing ff.'while some may re¬ 
main in the borders or pots m. to 1. Cleanse from moss 
and remove all decayed leaves while bringing in. Un¬ 
less there are several houses of different temperatures the 
plants must be arranged with reference to the heat of one 
room, placing some near and others at a distance from the 
furnace. Group them occording to their kinds by placing 
succulents together, bulbs and orchids by themselves, and 
woody plants in another collection. 
Air should be admitted very freely, especially when 
plants are first brought in. 
Fires—These w ill need starting in houses of tropical 
plants f. m. The particular temperature of each room, 
must be regulated by the collection it contains. 
Fuchsias—Cut in and place those which are done 
blooming on dry shelves. 
Insects—Do not allow them to get a footing. A deter¬ 
mined resistance with oil soap, tobacco fumes and the 
syringe will keep them in check. 
THE APIAR i 
BY M. QUINBY. 
All tne surplus boxes should now be taken from the 
hives. While waiting for some unfinished combs to be 
sealed up, the bees may remove the honey in these cells 
to the hive below, w here an addition to their stores is not 
always needed. 
Ifneglected till now, dispose of all feeble or diseased 
stocks at once. Any family of bees sufficiently numer¬ 
ous, that is desired as a stock, with insufficient stores for 
Winter, may be fed to advantage this month, providing 
they have combs to hold it, without constructing new. 
Good honey is the most reliable for Winter stores. That 
from the West Indies is cheapest, and will do well enough 
by adding a little water, then scalding and skimming it. 
The best way to exclude robbers in feeding is to 
place the honey under a close box set on the top of 
the hive with holes open for communication, Should a 
tin dish be used to hold the honey, the steep sides need 
something, say a strip of wood, to assist the bees in 
creeping up. In the dish put some shavings or light ma¬ 
terial to keep the bees from getting drowned. Bees can 
be fed with much less trouble, when some of the surplus 
boxes only part full, can be spared to set over them The 
dry combs left in such boxes are very valuable for another 
year. 
To be safe for winter, the contents, exclusive of the 
hive, should not be much less than twenty-five pounds to 
a stock. 
