Q98 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[OCTOBEH, 
> - "" - --- - 
Implements.—lla.\e. a place for every tool and 
implement, and let every laborer understand that 
bis day’s work is not done, till bis tools are well 
cleaned and put in the proper place under sbelter. 
Rust often wears out more tools than work does. 
Ice Hou-ies .—A small ice house may be made for 
a few dollars, in one corner of a large cellar. A 
double wall filled with saw dust, dry tan bark, or 
dry straw, well packed in, is essential. If the cel¬ 
lar is damp, better make the ice bouse in some out¬ 
building above ground, in a dry place. 
India 7 i Cor?*.—Husk the ears and secure the stalks 
for fodder as soon as possible, after the grain is 
well cured. Let nothing be wasted. 
Manure .—Save all manure around stables and 
piggeries. Horse dung, as well as droppings of 
swine, beats and becomes “ lire-fanged ” in a few 
days, unless it is forked over and spread out, and 
mingled with muck, or kept damp by applying 
water or liquid manure under cover. 
Mustard .—Now is the time to commence the ex¬ 
termination of wild mustard. Read the details 
about Mustard or Charlock on another page. 
i/eadojcs.—Top-dress this mouth with any kind 
of fertilizing material. It is better to harrow in 
bone dust, guano, or home made poudrette. 
Flowing .—Fall plowing heavy soils, and any kind 
of soil, where there are many weeds, may be done 
at any period before winter. Where there are Can¬ 
ada thistles, Ox-eye Daisies, or Quack grass, plow 
deep with narrow furrows. Always keep a plow in 
good condition, to work well. 
PotatoM.—Exposure to air, sun-light, and too 
much heat will soon destroy the excellence of the 
best potatoes. If put in a dark place, they will 
usually keep better than in a light one. 
PomW?'?/.—F eed well while the warm weather con¬ 
tinues, as they will fatten much faster and eat 
less grain than wlien it becomes cold. 
Pumpkins .—As soon as the vines are done grow¬ 
ing, and before hard frosts, gather them beneath 
open sheds, or in heaps, where they may be covered 
with boards. Feed the green and half-ripe ones 
first. Store the best ones in a dry, cool place for 
winter. Never break off the stems, or they soon 
begin to decay. Save the seed of none but the best. 
Rije .—In many places it is not too late to sow 
this grain, where the ground is not wet. If the 
soil is apt to heave in winter, better not put in 
winter rye, but prepare for spring rye. 
Sheep .—In some parts of the country, bucks and 
ewes may be turned together in October. Where 
the sirring is always backward, and there are cold 
storms of rain and snow, better keep them separate 
a month longer. The period of gestation with 
ewes is about five months. It is not good policy 
to have lambs dropped until there is some grass 
and warm, settled weather. Make necessary pre¬ 
paration for improvements in sheep next season. 
Sorghum .—Secure before injured by hard frost. 
If there are indications of it before the seed has 
ripened, a few of the best hills may be covered 
with blankets, in order to secure good seed. Cut 
off the seed end, and strip off the leaves, and make 
the juice into syrup as soon as practicable. When 
the stalks become mouldy, it is liable to injure the 
flavor of the syrup, and make it dark colored. 
Swine .—Look up a good brood sow for raising 
pigs next year. Better p.ay $50 for a good breeder 
than $30 for a sow that will not bear over 3 or 5 
pigs. Prolificness is one of the excellences of a 
breeding sow. Better fatten every hog now on 
hand, if the breed is not first-rate, and begin 
anew with a breed that will fatten more readily. 
Timber .—There is no better month in all tlie year 
than October to cut timber, to insure durability, 
especially for fences of all kinds, and posts. Rails 
and stakes, cut and split tills mouth, will last longer 
than if cut and split in winter, spring, or summer. 
The wood is well matured, and the timber becomes 
thoroughly seasoned before hot weather, which 
often cracks the surface, allowing rain to enter. 
Weeds. —Mowing, pulling, plowing and hoeing 
weeds will be in order every leisure hour till 
winter. Gather them all in large heaps when they 
are wet, so that the seed will not shell out. Better 
devote one day this fall to pulling rag weed, wild 
mustard, and other weeds in corn-fields than 
to spend a week next season exterminating those 
that spring from the seed now growing. It is very 
common for weeds to bring forth ten thousand 
fold. If thrown in a large pile before the seed be¬ 
comes hard, all will decay and make good manure. 
Work in iSie OrcSiard and Nursery. 
Fortunate is he who has an abundance of fruit, 
for he will get good returns. Owing to the gener¬ 
al scarcity, more than usual care should be taken 
with what there is. Some hints are given on page 
305, which, if followed, will much facilitate the 
careful gathering of fruit. It is a mistake to pick 
late keeping varieties too soon ; they should be left 
on as Icmg as they continue to develop from nour¬ 
ishment supplied by the tree. When gathered, as¬ 
sort at once into barrels; do not head up until 
the sweating process is over, but keep in a cool, 
shady place; put in the cellar at the approach of 
cold weather. When the heads are put in place, ap¬ 
ples should be so pressed th.at they will not shake 
by the jolting of transportation. 
As far as we have observed, the season is favora¬ 
ble to the nurseryman and the purchaser of trees, 
the wood being ripened unusually early, many 
sorts have already (the middle of September,) 
shed their foliage. This early ripening prolongs 
the season of the nurseryman, and gives him more 
time to fill his orders, and it is very advantageous 
to the planter, as trees set early become established 
and are better able to endure the winter. Let all 
who intend to plant, do it as early as the trees can 
he had, observing the suggestions as to drainage, 
deep plowing, and manuring, heretofore given. 
Cider .—The unusually early ripening of the fruit 
may render it necessary to make cider this mouth. 
Hints on the subject will be found in the “Basket.” 
Frying Fruits .—It is likely that dried fruit will 
bring better prices than usual, aud nothing should 
be allowed to go to waste that can be preserved 
in this manner. Dry rapidly, aud keep clean. 
Insects .—After the leaves have fallen, clusters of 
eggs and cocoons may be discovered aud removed. 
Examine trees received from the nurseries, near the 
root aud if any borer holes are found, crush the in¬ 
sects with a wire, and if the bark has the scale in¬ 
sect upon it, wash it with strong soft soap water, 
or better, discard the tree altogether. 
Labels .—Do not trust to labels alone, but have a 
map or record of the position of every tree; still 
labels are a great convenience, especially upon 
young trees, before one gets sufficiently acquainted 
with them to tell the variety at sight. See that 
all are plain, and be sure that the wires by which 
they are suspended are sufficiently loose. 
Majiure .—It is unreasonable to expect to be able 
to carry off a crop year after year without return¬ 
ing something fo the land. Manuring be.aring 
trees pays, not only in larger crops of fruit, but in 
the finer development of the individual specimens. 
The best method of applying manure is given in 
the article “Is Pear Culture Profitable?” on p. 314. 
Shade Trees.—These, except evergreens, may be 
planted as soon as the leaves drop. The more care¬ 
fully it is done, the better will be the future growth. 
Kitchen Garden. —Harvesting the ma¬ 
turing crops and preparing for spring work will 
keep the gardener fully employed until cold weath¬ 
er. This is a good month in which to make drains, 
for which the article on page 308, will give some 
useful hints. If the soil be stiff, it may be greatly 
ameliorated by throwing it up in ridges and allow¬ 
ing them to remain all winter. The rules of neat¬ 
ness and order are often relaxed at this season, and 
the garden presents an unsightly accumulation of 
rubbish. This should never be allowed. 
Artichokes .—Earth up around them and throw 
over a little litter, to keep out hard frost. 
Asparagus ,—New beds may be made, setting two 
year old plants as directed in the Calendar for 
March, after which cover the bed with litter. Cut 
the tops from established beds and burn them. Give 
the bed a thick covering of coarse stable manure. 
Beans. —Pick the late string beans and salt them. 
Shell and dry Limas before they are cut off by frost. 
If more ripen than are wanted for seed, try them 
in winter as baked beans, they are good. 
Beets. —Pull in time, as when frosted, their sweet¬ 
ness is impaired. Those put in the cellar may be 
kept from wilting by covering with sand or earth. 
Cabbages. —The late kinds may safely be left out 
until hard frosts. When put away for the winter, 
remove loose outside leaves, set the cabbages in a 
trench wide enough for 3 rows, packed closely to¬ 
gether, and cover with 6 or 8 inches of earth. Dig 
a drain around to carry off the water, and when the 
earth over the cabbages is frozen, cover it with 4 
or 5 inches of litter. Another way is to dig or 
plow a shallow trench, over which two rails are 
placed lengthwise; set the cabbages, head down,^ 
on the rails, put on some straw, and coverthe whole' 
carefully with earth. If the cabbages are wanted 
for use every few days, a supply may be put in a 
cool cellar, or re-planted closely in a dry place, and 
covered with straw and a roof of boards. To 
winter young pl.ants in cold frames, see page 311. 
Caidijlowers. —Store in the cellar before frost. 
Those which have not formed heads will usually do 
BO if set out in a cellar or cold pit. Treat plants 
for early spring crops as directed above for cabbage. 
Carrots. —Harvest and preserve as directed for 
beets. The tops will be much relished by cattle. 
Celery. —Continue to earth up that grown in 
trenches, taking care that no earth enter the center 
of the plant. That grown in flat culture should 
be “handled” to bring the stems to an upright 
position, if not already done, and at the end of the 
month commence digging and putting in trenches 
according to directions given in July, on page 218. 
Cold Frames. —Prepare for the reception of cab¬ 
bages, cauliflowers, etc. See page 314 
Cucumbers. —Gather for pickles as long as the vines 
continue to yield, and salt as heretofore directed. 
Endive. —Take up with a ball of earth, and set 
closely together in the cellar for winter use. 
Hot Beds. —When these are made in the spring it 
is often difficnlt to find soil to use in them. Much 
annoyance will be saved if sufficient rich earth be 
secured now aud placed under a shed, or covered 
with boards, near where it will be needed. 
Lettuce. —Plants may be set in a cold frame as di¬ 
rected for cabbage, or in very mild localities they 
W'ill winter with a light covering of straw. 
Onions. —Any late sown plants for wintering 
over, will need an inch or so of straw upon them. 
Parsnips. —Dig what will be needed for use dur¬ 
ing the time the ground is frozen, and put them in 
the cellar and cover with sand to prevent wilting, 
and leave^the rest in the ground. 
Rhubarb. —Make new beds in highly manured 
soil, setting the plants 3 or 4 feet apart e.ach way, 
any time before the ground is frozen. Plants are 
obtained by dividing old roots with a spade, so as 
to separate the buds with a portion of root attached. 
Old beds will need a liberal covering of manure. 
Salsify. —Dig a part for use from time to time, 
and leave the rest as directed for parsneps. 
Spinach. —Keep out weeds and cultivate tmtil 
hard frosts, then lightly cover over with litter. 
Squashes. —Be careful not to allow them to be¬ 
come frosted. House where they will not freeze 
or be subject to great changes of temperature. 
Use the greenest Hubbards first, as they will not 
keep, but are good long before they are ripe. 
Sweet Potatoes. —Harvest as soon as the tops are 
touched by frost. Dig with great care on a warm 
day, aud let them dry in the sun before storing 
them. The great secret in keeping them, is to 
handle carefully’, and put them in a warm room, 
the temperature of which is uniform. They do 
well packed in barrels with cut straw between them. 
Tomatoes. —The season may be prolonged by 
