1875.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
327 
Sheep. —Sheep should have some better feed than 
the bare stubble at this season. With some grain 
or mixed feed, sheep will pick around the fields 
and consume much of the rubbish. No animal has a 
more vigorous digestion than a sheep, or can more 
readily turn fodder into meat and fat—but it must 
have something from which it cau produce these. 
Not even a sheep can bring something out of noth¬ 
ing, and yet many farmers who keep a few sheep, 
seem to act as though they thought sheep could do 
this. Those who make a business of sheep rais¬ 
ing, know that they must have good food and the 
best care, or that with their low nervous system 
and small supply of blood, they go down Very 
quickly A sheep has a very small brain, and but 
four or five pounds of blood, and possesses no 
force or power to resist misfortune. But having 
little nervous force, it wastes no energy in action, 
but eats and rests, and turns all it eats into profit. 
This explains why sheep will fall away and die off 
so quickly if neglected. Neglect now, will be 
irreparable by and by. “ A sheep well summered 
is half wintered.” 
Breeding Ewes. —For early lambs the ewes should 
be turned to the rams this month. A two-year-old 
ram will serve a hundred ewes, if he is well fed, 
kept in a yard, and the ewes put with him at night, 
until all are served. A ewe remains in heat 
twenty-four hours. As the ewes are served, 
which may be known by keeping the ram’s brisket 
smeared with Venetian red and linseed oil, they 
should be placed in a flock by themselves, and well 
fed. On the condition of the ewes will depend in 
a great measure the value of the iambs. A pure 
Cotswold ram, crossed on good Merino or native 
ewes, produces excellent market lambs. 
Cows and Calves. —As the feed falls off, two 
quarts of corn-meal a day will help to keep up the 
quantity and richness of the milk. Calves and 
yearlings should not be allowed to fall off in condi¬ 
tion at this season. 
Swine .—Pork is high, and will probably remain 
so. But it will be safest to hurry up the feeding 
swine, and make sure of the market. By giving 
extra attention now, providing dry feeding pens, 
and feeding liberally, twice as much pork can be 
made from the same feed in this month, as can be 
made in December. While we can hardly expect 
higher prices, we can not tell what may happen to 
affect the market unfavorably, and it may be well 
to make sure of a profitable market while we can. 
Sundry Matters. —It would be a good plan to 
keep a note of every little thing that needs atten¬ 
tion, so that by and by all may be done in order. 
There will be drains to make and to repair, fences 
to close that have been, opened, stacks to top off 
and prop up, leaves to rake up in wood lots, brush 
to clear off, roads and lanes to repair, tools to 
gather up and repair, sheds to repair, stables to 
clean out and whitewash, and a hundred things to 
do that must be provided for or they will go 
undone. Every farmer should carry a note book 
and pencil in his pocket, and make use of them. 
-o « - —- 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
The general harvest in orchard and garden will 
begin this month throughout the northern states. 
Everything should be in order for storing and mar¬ 
keting fruits and vegetables, else much time will be 
lost in getting baskets, crates, and barrels if de¬ 
layed until the crops are ready for gathering. The 
weeds make a comparatively slow growth now, and 
it will be easy to keep the late crops clear of them. 
Drains may be laid now, except in low places 
where it is wet and swampy ; in such spots the only 
drain that can be used is an open one with sides 
slanting to prevent caving. Drains about the house 
and bam should be cleared out and put in proper 
condition for the winter. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
Marketing .—Early varieties of apples and pears 
must be marketed as soon as ripe, and to bring the 
highest price, they should be carefully picked and 
assorted. There are quantities of fruit brought 
into market every fall, which is so poorly packed 
and assorted that it will not sell for the cost of 
the crates, while that of transportation is a loss to 
the raiser. It cannot be too often repeated that 
good fruit will bring a good price, even when the 
market is glutted with poor stuff. Those who 
throw out all inferior fruit, and pack only the best, 
putting this up so carefully that there will be no 
rolling about or bruising in transportation or in 
handling, find fruit growing profitable. 
Home Markets are too often overlooked, and large 
towns and villages in fruit districts are often poorly 
supplied, the growers thinking it necessary to send 
their fruit to New York and other large cities. 
Those who have cultivated the home markets, and 
kept them regularly supplied, have found it profit¬ 
able ; fruits can be delivered in a riper condition 
than when packed for a distant market. 
Drying Fruits is an important industry in many 
sections of the country, especially in the line of 
peaches and apples ; the quicker the fruit is dried 
the brighter it will look. It is commonly spread on 
boards and taken in every night; this makes a great 
deal of work, and for small lots a glass frame like 
a hot-bed, with holes in the sides, covered with 
wire cloth, answers a good purpose. Where large 
quantities are dried, recourse must be had to some 
of the patent fruit dryers now in use. 
Budding may be performed whenever well ma¬ 
tured buds can be had, and the bark of the 6tock 
lifts easily. Directions have often been given to¬ 
gether with illustrations to explain the process, 
so that a novice can succeed after a little practice. 
Labels. —Prepare a stock of these for use when¬ 
ever needed. Red cedar is most dirrable whether 
to tie on or use in the soil as a “stick” label. They 
are made by machinery, and are quite cheap. They 
are smeared with white lead or chrome yellow in 
oil before writing. 
Fall Planting .—We are frequently asked if it is 
desirable to plant fruit-trees in the fall. It depends 
upon the locality and the kinds ; in sections where 
the fall is usually warm and long, it is better to 
plant then ; the soil is in good condition, and there 
is usually more time to do the work properly than 
in spring. Observe the directions given in the 
spring months. Make a plan of the orchard and 
mark the location of every tree. Whether planting 
is done in fall or spring, 
Order Trees Now; they can be taken up better, 
and are transported more safely than in spring, and 
if not set now, can be heeled-in and be at hand to 
plant at any time in spring. 
Peaches, Cherries, and other stone fruits should, 
in northern localities, be planted in spring ; in Dela¬ 
ware and southward, they are often planted in fall. 
Peach-Stones, and the seeds of stone fruits gener¬ 
ally should not become dry. Small lots may be 
placed in a box mixed with earth and buried in a 
dry spot, or put in a cold cellar for the winter. 
Large quantities of peach stones are stratified by 
spreading them a few inches thick and covering 
with earth, or they are spaded in ; of course they 
have to be sifted out in spring to be jffanted. 
Seeds. —There are many varieties of tree seeds 
which do not ripen until fall; these maybe gather¬ 
ed as soon as ripe, and sown, or kept mixed with 
sand in a cool place until spring. Seedlings of forest 
trees should be kept clear of weeds,and it will be safe 
to give all a good covering of leaves the first winter. 
Nursery Bows. —Cultivate the soil between the 
rows as often as necessary to keep the ground light 
and free from weeds, taking care not to bruise or 
break any of the young stock. 
Pears should always be ripened in the house ; 
when fully matured, pick and place on shelves in 
the fruit room, where they can be frequently in¬ 
spected. Choice specimens for market should be 
wrapped separately in soft paper and packed in 
shallow boxes as soon as they show signs of mel¬ 
lowing ; this will pay where choice sorts are grown, 
and there is a demand for an extra article. Ordi¬ 
nary good fruit is best packed in new neat half¬ 
barrels, lined with white paper. 
Fruit tiarden. 
Blackberries.— After the old canes have fruited, 
they should be cut off and burned. Tie up the 
new growth to stakes, cutting back to the required 
hight, as given last month. Dig out all suckers 
which appear between the rows, unless needed for 
planting, which is better done in fall than in 
spring; keep the ground loose and free from 
weeds, by means of the horse cultivator. 
Baspbcrries. —Cut out all old fruiting canes which 
may have been left until this time, and cut back 
the new growth as for blackberries. The plants 
will be benefitted by a dressing of fine manure, 
forked under 6liglitly between the rows. Most of 
the red varieties are propagated by suckers, or 
from root cuttings. Black-Caps are multiplied by 
covering with earth the tips of the shoots, which 
bend over late in the season ; these will make roots, 
and in the spring may be cut from the old plant, 
and set in rows in rich soil. 
Strawberries. —Fill up all vacancies in the old beds, 
and set out new ones. Take only well-rooted 
runners, and if the weather is at all dry, dip in 
thin mud before setting. Plants set in the fall, 
may yield a small crop the following spring, but 
there is no real gain over spring planting. 
Crapes. —The grape crop in mauy localities will 
be small, owing to the severity of last winter; 
the vines should not be neglected, but provision 
made for securing a healthy, well-ripened growth 
for next season. Where heavy rains have com¬ 
pacted the soil, use the horse or hand cultivator to 
make it light and open. Catawba, Isabella, Iona, 
and Diana, are the best keepers, and should ripen 
thoroughly. It is useless to try to keep Concords. 
Currants and Gooseberries .—Make cuttings of the 
thoroughlj ripe wood, and plant ntonce. Plants 
from cuttings set last fall or spring, may be trans¬ 
planted into rows where they are to grow. 
JKitclaem Garden. 
As soon as crops are gathered, the ground should 
be cleared of weeds, plowed or spaded, and planted 
with some quick growiug crop, such as turnips, 
spinach and the like ; never allow the ground in the 
garden to remain idle for any length of time. In 
starting a new garden, begin this fall by turning 
over the sod, first covering it with a heavy dressing 
of manure. The sod will decay during the fall 
and winter, and in spring manure the land heavily 
again and cross-plow. Before plowing remove 
all rocks and stumps, so that a smooth straight 
furrow may be turned. Make it a point to attend 
some neighboring fair with the family, and if pos¬ 
sible, take along some of the best products of the 
garden and orchard, it will stimulate the boys to 
renewed exertions in the growing of fine fruits and 
vegetables. Provide reliable books upon the dif¬ 
ferent branches of horticulture, for reading during 
the evenings, which are now growing longer, and 
do not forget to add one or more good agricultural 
and horticultural papers. 
Asparagus .—Apply a dressing of coarse and littery 
stable manure, after the tops have been cut off 
and burned, to prevent the seed from growing. 
Beans. —Gather from the last plantings either for 
market or preserving in salt for winter use. Dry 
Limas when there are more than can be disposed 
of fresh, as they are excellent in winter. Save 
the earliest, largest, and fullest pods for seed. 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers. —Seeds of these may 
be sown to make plants for setting out in spring. 
The time of sowing will depend upon the locality; 
near New York it is from Sept. 15th to 25th. The 
object is to get good strong plants before the 
ground freezes. In November they are pricked out 
into cold-frames, w’here they pass the winter. 
Market the medium crops as soon as of sufficient 
size, and clear the ground of stumps and rubbish. 
Com. —As fast as the corn is gathered, cut up the 
stalks for use as fodder for winter, or to feed out 
now to the cows in milk. Corn may be dried for 
winter use ; boil long enough to set the milk, and 
then cut from the cobs and dry. 
Cucumbers. —Gather for pickles every other day, 
choosing those from two to four inches long. Take 
care not to trample on the vines when gathering. 
