1870. J 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
288 
upon the ground. Burning of the surface of 
swamps is frequently very useful; but fires set in 
dry, mossy peat bogs by intention or accident, 
often get beyond control, and consume much more 
than the loose surface, running among timber and 
fences, and holding fire a long time. 
Litter from the Swamp. —Brakes, with swamp 
grasses and sedges may often be cut to the extent 
of several tons to the acre; and if stored where they 
will not get soaked by the rains, will make very 
good litter for the barn-yard, cow-shed, or for the 
stables, and hog-pens. Some of the more succu¬ 
lent kinds rot rapidly if not well dried and pro¬ 
tected; but all the sedges which constitute most of 
what is called swamp grass, require little drying, 
and will lie months in cocks simply, without decay¬ 
ing. This kind of hay makes first-rate stack bot¬ 
toms, and good topping for that which is more 
liable to hurt by weathering, if not protected. 
Compost. Heaps .—While the warm weather lasts, 
and other more important work is not pressing, 
make compost heaps ; laying up manure from the 
hog-pens with weeds, sods, etc., from the fence 
rows, freshly mown reeds, brakes, and swamp-grass. 
Compost makes very fast with a little good manure 
as a basis, and the quantity may be increased six¬ 
fold in a few months. Where no manure is at hand, 
use lime or ashes, sprinkled upon layers of dry 
muck and any vegetable matter. Dead animals are 
an admirable addition to such composts, and if used, 
the heap should be covered with soil. 
Compost for Pastures. —Top-dressing old pastures 
with a compost made of such vegetable or peaty 
matter as can be collected in the vicinity, with 
lime, to which is added as much bone-dust as one 
can afford, thoroughly worked over and mixed, 
spread and harrowed in, will make a wonderful 
difference in the yield of grass. 
Working Oxen are ill adapted to severe labor dur¬ 
ing the hottest part of the day, but if put to the 
hardest work in early morning, and after the heat 
of the day is passed, they will be capable of doing 
a great deal without falling off in flesh. Hired men 
will gladly acceed to a proposition to ln-calc then- 
day’s labor by a three-hours’ nooning and rest. 
Horses should be kept stabled by day where good 
ventilation and comparative darkness give them 
comfort. They may be turned out to feed at night 
when the blood-sucking flies and gad-flies will not 
torment them. * 
Cows should have a liberal supply of green fod¬ 
der if their pasturage is dry or short. Change from 
one pasture to another as often as they become rest¬ 
less, and thus keep them contented -and give the 
grass a chance to start. Grass fodder should be 
cut and allowed to wilt, but not allowed to dry 
nor heat before feeding. 
Calves and Colts should be weaned at four or five 
months old. This must be done gradually by sep¬ 
arating them from the dams for lia'lf a day at a time, 
and giving them grass or cut hay with a little oil- 
mcal and ground oats upon it. Gradually prolong 
the period of separation, and shorten the time they 
are together in the case of colts, and so gradually 
dry off the mare. With calves, the best plan is to 
steal the milk, leaving them very little, and so 
gradually forcing them to depend upon other 
sources of supply. 
Sheep and Lambs .—The separation and weaning 
of the lambs occur more abruptly. Big lambs ex¬ 
haust the ewes greatly, and should be separated 
from their dams early enough for the ewes to re¬ 
cuperate thoroughly before the breeding season. 
This is done by removing them at once to good 
pasturage out of hearing of the ewes, while these 
arc left upon rather short feed for a few days. 
The deep milkers maybe in danger of having their 
bags cake and swell, and must be watched and 
have the milk drawn if the bags feel hot and fever¬ 
ish or much distended. 
- - - ■* * II » o» — - - ■— 
Work in the Horticultural Departments, 
If the horticulturist ever has any leisure, excepting 
in winter, it is in August, when, if the weeds and 
insects are under fair subjection, he may await the 
coming harvest without feeling the constant press¬ 
ure of work that drives him during other months. 
Still there is a plenty to do, and we give such notes 
as seem timely. 
Orchard and Aursei-y. 
Marketing .—The early fruits will now be coining, 
and will need attention if sent to market. Apples 
and pears should be picked when fully matured, 
but before they begin to mellow. Recollect—wliat 
has been so often repeated—it docs not pay to send 
poor fruit to market. It costs as much for freight 
and packages for poor stuff as it does for good. 
Superior fruit will always sell, no matter if it is a 
season of plenty. In such seasons it is difficult to 
dispose of an indifferent or a poor article in our 
city markets at any price. Assort the fruit. 
Peaches are to be picked in just that condition of 
ripeness in which they are firm enough to endure 
transportation, and will be in eating condition by 
the time they reach the consumer. If too hard, 
they will fail to ripen up properly, and if too sofr, 
they will bruise in the carriage. Experienced pick¬ 
ers soon learn to recognize the proper condition 
by the appearance of the fruit, without subjecting 
it to the test of touch. Crates are becoming each 
year more popular for packing peaches. Directions 
for making them were given last month on page 263. 
Thinning should have been done before; but few 
thin the fruit sufficiently at the first going over, 
and it is better to look over the trees again and re¬ 
move inferior specimens. 
Insects are to be watched. As soon as the nests 
of the fall -web-worm appear, destroy them. This 
month the red spider is often troublesome, not on¬ 
ly on fruit-trees, but on ornamental ones. It shows 
itself by a browning of the leaves; and a close ex¬ 
amination will detect the minute, red pest. Ere- - 
quent syringings with soap suds, or even clear wa¬ 
ter, will dislodge it, if persisted in. 
Budding .—The time to bud is when the bark of 
the stock will “ run,” or part readily from the wood, 
and well-formed buds of the same season’s growth 
can be procured. The maturing of the buds may 
be hastened by pinching the end of the shoot. 
When sticks of buds are cut, the blade of the leaf 
should be cut off, leaving the leaf-stalk attached to 
the twig. Keep the twigs moist until they are used. 
Fruit dfurdeii. 
Thinning the Fruit is easily performed upon 
dwarf trees, and such should never produce other 
than fine specimens. The trees are so small that 
they can be petted and cared for in a manner not 
practicable with standards. 
Strawberries .—Beds may be set by the use of pot¬ 
ted runners ; directions for making were given last 
month on page 264. Keep the runners cut off from 
vines grown in hill culture. A dressing of guano 
or ashes just before a rain will help the plants. 
Blackberries and Raspberries .—The new growth 
should not be allowed to reach higher than 5 feet; 
some stop as low as 4 feet. The tender point is 
pinched out, ora knife is used. This stopping of the 
growth causes the side shoots to push, and these 
are in turn pinched when they are 18 inches long. 
Keep all suckers hoed down, and when the fruit is 
off, remove the canes that have borne. 
Black Caps differ in their manner of growth from 
ordinary raspberries; they do not throw up suck¬ 
ers from the root, but multiply by rooting at the 
ends of the canes, which naturally bend down and 
touch the earth. If it is not desired to propagate 
plants, the new growth is pinched at tho bight of 
about 30 inches, which causes lateral shoots to push. 
Grapes .—After the first appearance of mildew 
there is no time to be lost in applying sulphur. 
Grayish patches on the fruit stems or upon the 
leaves call for an immediate and thorough dusting 
with sulphur. See article on page 303. Go over 
the vines and hand-pick beetles and caterpillars ; 
keep the new growth tied up and pinch the laterals 
back to one leaf as often as they push. 
Kitclien Garden. 
Beans, if desired for salting or pickling, may be 
sown and will give a supply of green pods. 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers. — Give thorough cul¬ 
ture, using the hoe frequently. If any are disposed 
to be slow, give a dressing of guano or hen manure. 
Lime or salt is used for destroying slugs. 
Carrots. —Thin the iate sowings and keep culti¬ 
vating until the tops are so large as to prevent. 
Celery. —Keep the soil well stirred and free from 
weeds. Plants for a late crop may yet be set. 
Corn. —Those who save their own seed should 
select the earliest and best formed ears for the pur¬ 
pose. It is very easy to keep the variety improving, 
and it is equally easy to deteriorate it by taking the 
leavings of the crop for seed. 
Cucumbers. —Save the finest and earliest for seed. 
Pick for small pickles every day. 
Fgg-Plants. —Continue to forward them by culti¬ 
vation and manuring. The “Tomato-worm” will 
often attack the plants and do much mischief. 
Endive. —Set out the plants a foot, apart each way 
in rich ground; cultivate well to induce a rapid 
growth. They may be blanched by tying, covering 
with a flower-pot, or by laying a board upon them. 
The operations should be performed only when the 
plants are quite dry. • 
Melons. —Remove such fruit as will not ripen be¬ 
fore frost. In saving seeds select the earliest, and 
those grown at a distance from any other variety. 
Onions arc ready to harvest when the tops lose 
their stiffness and fall over to one side. When a 
good share have done this, the crop may be pulled. 
If the onions are to be stored, they should first be 
thoroughly dried and then spread in a cool loft 
where they will have ventilation. 
Radishes. —Sow the winter sorts at the proper 
time for sowing round turnips. The Chinese Rosc- 
colorcd Winter is the best, though some fancy the 
white and black. 
Spinach, if sown in rich ground, will give a sup¬ 
ply this fall. It is too earl/to put in the crop in¬ 
tended to keep over winter." 
Squashes. —Continue to remove destructive in¬ 
sects from the vines. See note on page 303. When 
the vines root at the joints, do not disturb them. 
Sweet Potatoes, whether in hills or upon, ridges, 
must be kept free from weeds until the vines com¬ 
pletely cover the ground. Do not allow the vines 
to take root, as they are apt to do when they come 
in contact with the soil ; move them oedglionally. 
Tomatoes. — Those who have a choice variety 
should take pains to preserve and even improve its 
good quality. A dozen vines of the same variety 
planted side by side will show marked differences in 
earliness and productiveness, and in the shape and 
solidity of the fruit. By attending to these points 
and sacredly reserving the most desirable for seed, 
each grower can establish a style, if not a variety 
of tomato, that will suit his purposes. If training 
is practised, whatever form has been adopted should 
be faithfully followed up. Give the tomato-worm 
no quarter. If left to itself for a day it will make 
havoc. Its droppings seen upon the leaves or up¬ 
on the ground are warnings to be heeded. 
Turnips. —Dust the young plants with lime or a 
mixture of plaster and ashes, if insects trouble them. 
Weeds.—Keep at them. Those cut up this month 
die quickly and are quite sure to stay dead. 
Flower Garden and Lawn. 
Lawns .—This is a trying month for new lawns; 
if, as is often the case, the green was produced in 
good part by annual grasses, these will die out, 
leaving brown and bare spots. Encourage the 
formation of a close turf by rolling after a rain, and 
by frequent mowing. 
Edgings and Margins will require the use of the 
egding knife to keep them neat. 
Bedding Plants .—See that they do not grow out 
of shape and get mixed. Most of them will re¬ 
quire the use of the knife to keep them in shape. 
