1885,] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
335 
they can do so with the great majority of them. 
There is a great deal of nonsense in print about 
kinds running out and the necessity for a fresh 
stock. Seeds will run out if the poorest and latest 
product of the meanest plants is saved for seed, and 
they can be improved if care be taken to properly 
select the best of everything. We know of one 
place, famous for its sweet corn, in which the same 
variety has been kept distinct and improving for 
more than 20 years. We know that it seems hard 
when tomatoes, cucumbers, etc., first come, to take 
the very earliest and best of them for seed for next 
year’s crop, but that is just the proper way to 
do. And more than this, the careful gardener will, 
with corn, beans, and all plants which show distinct 
characters in the seeds, assort the seeds and reject 
those which differ from the true kind in size, shape, 
or color. With all seeds which show any signs of 
mixture, or deterioration, this selection should be 
carefully made. Even now the most promising 
biennials, such as early beets, salsify, etc., may be 
marked for preservation with the view to produce 
seed from them. Then as to manures, in even a small 
garden what a heap of refuse may be accumulated 
during the summer ! Wo every day go by a large 
patch of early cabbages, from w'hich the heads are 
cut for market and the outer leaves and stumps are 
left to dry up in the field. We shall doubtless next 
spring hear the proprietor complaining of the 
scarcity of manure, when by a little labor he could 
have had a quantity from wasted cabbage refuse. 
Asparagus. —There is nothing to do to the beds 
except to puil up such coarse weeds as make their 
appearance. If new beds are wanted, gather the 
seeds when ripe and sow at once, or clean and pre¬ 
serve them for sowing next spring. 
Beans. —Plant Refugee or other early sort for late 
use and for salting. String and break the pods as 
for cooking, and pack them in stone jars, or in 
firkins, with alternate layers of salt and beans. 
Prepared in this way they will keep all winter, and 
when properly freshened, are almost as good as if 
recently picked. Limas are disposed to set much 
more fruit than they can mature. Cutting off the 
vine at the top of the pole or trellis and shortening 
in the more rampant side branches, will hasten the 
development of the remaining pods. 
Beets. —Thin and keep the weeds down and the 
ground loose by hoe. In small gardens it will pay 
to water beets in a dry time; when their growth is 
checked they are not so good as when grown rapidly. 
Cabbages and Cauliflower's. —Use or market the 
early sorts, and remove the refuse to the compost 
heap, or feed it out. Late sorts may be set this 
month, and make a crop. Caterpillars will be 
troublesome and must be killed. In some places 
slugs do great damage. They are found under the 
lowest leaves, and should be destroyed. 
Carrots. —Hoe thin and weed. If young carrots 
are preferred for the table, sow for a late supply. 
Celei-y. —That planted early in trenches, must be 
earthed up. Set plants of the latest crop. Read 
article on page 218, last month, upon flat cnlture. 
Corn. —Keep down weeds, but do not disturb the 
roots. Note the earliest and finest ears and reserve 
them for seed. The worm that infests the ears 
makes its appearance this month, and where the 
silk has been eaten, search for and destroy him. 
Cucumber'S. —Seed for next year is best saved by 
reserving the fruit on the earliest vines. Allow 
only a few to ripen and pick off all others that set, 
when very small. Gather for pickles as soon as of 
suitable size, and put in salt. See article on page 254. 
Egg Plants. —Cultivate thoroughly and draw the 
earth around the stem. Caterpillars are very de-* 
strnetiTe to the foliage, and If holes appear in the 
leaves, the enemy will be found on the under side. 
The rapidly swelling fruit should be kept from 
touching the ground by means of a handful of 
straw, or a shingle placed under it. 
Endive. —Set out for late crop, at least a foot apart 
each way. The early plants may be blanched by 
gathering up the leaves when quite dry, and tying 
them together near the tips. 
Herbs. —Continue to cut as directed last mouth. 
Lettuce. —Sow for a late crop, which will do all 
the better in a partly shaded place. 
Melons. —Remove all fruit not likely to ripen. 
Those approaching maturity should be turned oc¬ 
casionally and kept from contact with the earth by 
a shingle or a little straw. 
Onions. —Harvest as soon as the majority of the 
tops fall over. Dry thoroughly if they are to be 
stored. Many send their onions directly from the 
field to the market, instead of storing them. 
Peas. —Our experience with late sown varieties 
has not been very encouraging. Those who wish 
to try it, can sow some of the early sorts now. 
Potatoes. —Digas wanted from day to day, burying 
the green tops in the rows. Those for seed may 
remain in the ground until the tops are quite dead. 
Badish. —The Chinese Rose-colored is an excellent 
late variety, which may be kept all winter as 
easily as turnips. Sow now in vacant places. 
Seeds. —Continue to gather as they mature, read¬ 
ing the suggestions given above. 
Squashes. —The squash-bug and the borer will 
need looking after, as well as the 12-spottcd Oaleruca, 
a yellow insect shaped like a lady-bug, with 12 
black spots. It is one of the most destructive of 
insects, but fortunately not very common. 
Sweet Potatoes. —Do not allow the vines to take 
root, and keep the weeds out. 
Tomatoes. —Look out for the worm and cut back 
the rampant branches. 
Turnips. —Thin Rutabagas when large enough. 
Sow round kinds in places left by early crops. 
Weeds. —Allow none to get large enough to per¬ 
fect seed for next year’s crop. 
FriiiJ Garden. —The principal work here 
is to care for the fruit as it ripens, remove super¬ 
fluous growth and keep the soil free of weeds. 
During the abundance of each variety a quantity 
should be put up in bottles, or otherwise preserved 
for future use, according to directions already given. 
Blackberries. —Allow those for home use to re¬ 
main on the vines until thoroughly ripe, but those 
sent to market must be picked while firm enough 
to carry safely. 
Currants. —Remove suckers and weak shoots. 
Dwarf Trees. —Thin the crop if there is more 
fruit than will develop well. Control the shape of 
the tree by pinching as heretofore directed. 
Crapes. —Caterpillars often do mischief by cutting 
off the end of growing canes ; in these the upper 
lateral may be allowed to grow for a leader. Keep 
the successive growths of the laterals pinched back 
to one leaf. Tie up to the trellis, and do not allow 
neighboring canes to become entangled. Treat 
mildew with sulphur, as recommended last month. 
If rot appears among the berries, we know of no 
help for it. It is best to remove decaying bunches. 
'Baspberries. —Cut away the old canes after fruit¬ 
ing, and encourage the growth of the new ones. 
These will fruit next year and should have proper 
attention. Thin to three to each stool, and keep the 
soil clean, loose and enriched. 
Strawberries. —Beds set now with plants which 
have been struck in pots, or taken up with a ball of 
earth, will become suflficiently established to bear 
a fair crop next spring. Keep old beds well culti¬ 
vated and weeded, and have the runners clipped. 
Flower dardcii and L,awn.— The 
burning heats of July and August are most dis¬ 
couraging to the florist, and many plants are in a 
state of suspended animation until cooler nights 
and more abundant rains start them into growth. 
It is during this time that the value of the plants 
with variegated foliage is most apparent, and a 
good selection of them will keep up a gay appear¬ 
ance in the grounds during the heated term. 
Watering upon any extended scale is not usually 
practicable, but the effects of drouth may be greatly 
resisted by the free use of the hoe and rake. If it 
is necessary to water a plant to save it, let the ap¬ 
plication be thorough, not an occasionai sprinkling. 
Box. —Clip into good shape early this month. 
Bulbs. —If any spring flowering ones remain in 
the ground, take them up as directed last month, i( 
the leaves have withered. 
Climbers. —It is a very common mistake to make 
the supports for annual ones too frail, and tlicy 
break down with the great weight of foliage, aided 
by the winds. All that are not strong enough 
should be braced before strong autumnal winds 
prostrate them. 
Dahlias. —Much of thesuccess in cultivating these 
depends upon proper tying. The stem has very 
little strength itself and the foliage is very heavy. 
Remove imperfect buds and all flowers as soon as 
they have lost their beauty. 
Euchsias. —Cuttings made from the new growth 
will root with the greatest ease, and make good 
plants to keep over winter. If any of the more 
tender kinds have lost their leaves from the heat of 
the sun, prune them and they %vill push out fresh 
growth, and flower when the w’cather is cooler. 
Gi'ass. —Lawns and edgings need a continuation 
of the care heretofore advised. Root out any 
coarse weeds. 
Oladiolus. —The broad leafy shoots of these are 
easily prostrated and are difficult to bring back to 
an erect position. We prefer to keep them all tied 
to light stakes, as soon as they get large enough. 
Hedges .—Give deciduous ones their summer clip¬ 
ping this month. 
Layers. —Shrubs and vines m.ay be increased by 
layering the growth of the present season, as di¬ 
rected under Orchard and Nursery, and in previous 
numbers. Many of them grow readily from cut¬ 
tings of the just hardening wood. 
Pelargoniums. —Put in cuttings for a stock for 
winter. Keep trimmed in a compact form. 
Potted Plants. —Do not allow them to be neglected. 
Give all the water they need, and keep weeds out 
of the pots and insects from the foliage. 
Perennials. —The seed of these .as well as of bien¬ 
nials may be sown now, and plants for next year’s 
blooming be raised. 
Boses. —Make layers. Train up the new growth 
of climbers. Keep off insects, many of which can 
be dislodged by suddenly jarring the bushes. One 
correspondent advises the use of 1 lb. of copperas 
to six gallons of water. The bushes to be syringed 
with the solution. 
Seeds. —The same etire advised in the selection 
and preservation of seeds in the Kitchen Garden is 
to be observed with flowers. A knowledge of the 
methods by which each variety is dispersed will be 
a guide to the proper time for collecting. Those 
which burst their seed pods suddenlj’, like the 
phloxes and pansy will be lost, if allowed to re¬ 
main too long. Such are to be collected before the 
pods open, and placed under a sieve, where the 
scattered seeds will be saved. 
Verbenas. —If these do not root .at the joints, peg 
them down as directed last month. 
Zinnias. —The double variety has been much im¬ 
proved by a carefui selection of seeds, and the only 
way to keep the stock good is to save seed from 
flowers of the best form and color. 
Greeii and IIot-Moiises. — If new 
structures are to be built, or alterations or repairs 
made to old ones, steps should be taken to have 
the work finished before the houses are needed for 
the plants. Potting earth, fuel, and all other sup¬ 
plies are to be laid in in good season. Preparations 
may be made for stocking the houses by starting 
cuttings, repotting such plants as need it, and 
sowing seeds. Very small seeds, such as those of 
calceolarias, lobelias, etc., need very fine soil and 
scarcely .any covering. Plants remaining in the 
house must not be allowed to be burned by thesun. 
Cold Cfi’apery. —Mildew is apt to appear 
in warm damq weather, in which case keep the air 
