AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
323 
1870.] 
badly iu handling. Cut with a cradle, put up in 
small gavels, like little hay-cocks, and bind close 
to the top, to make them shed rain. 
Beans. —When the pods turn yellow, and most of 
the greenest ones have nearly full-sized beans in 
them, it is time to pull them. They must be 
stacked, so as not to rest on the ground. We drive 
two stakes six inches apart and lay a stone between 
them, and a bunch of weeds on each side; tiien 
crowd the bean plants in handfuls between the 
stakes, making the tops lie close to one stake and 
the roots close to the other, crossing' alternately. 
Sorghum appears to be fast “ playing out.” It is 
just as good for syrup and for fodder as ever ; but 
sugar and sugar-house syrup and N. O. molasses 
are cheaper than they were. Trim and cut before 
frost, and work up as soon as possible, certainly 
before hard-freezing weather, if the highest value 
would be secured. 
Tobacco. —See article in August number iu ref¬ 
erence to the time to cut, and item iu “ Basket.” 
Wheat may be sown any time this month. The 
land should be well prepared and in good heart, or 
no good results need be anticipated. See articles 
in July and August “Hints about Work.” 
Rye is seldom sown before October, as it makes 
too heavy a growth before winter. It may, how¬ 
ever, be put in early with a view to securing fall 
feed, and if properly managed, the crop will not be 
injured, but rather benefited by the operation. 
Soiling Crops. —Wheat and rye sown early upon 
very rich ground, will yield abundant feed this fall, 
and the earliest green fodder in the spring. Nearly 
twice as much seed should be used to the acre, as 
if sown for grain simply. For whatever purpose 
sown, it is almost always best to drill wheat and rye. 
Cows. —With the cool weather, butter-making 
and packing demand the attention of dairy-women. 
The cows should be fed pumpkins, without the 
seeds, with some bran or meal to increase the flow 
of milk. They require salt and abundance of fresh 
water. A cow should never go thirsty nor have to 
travel far for water; it cheeks the.milk secretion 
more than most people are aware. 
Beeves on good pastures will make flesh fast; a 
few pumpkins and a pailful of corn-meal mush, at 
noon or evening daily, will push them along fast. 
Horses may be turned out to feed by night, and 
kept stabled by day, until after frost, has killed the 
bot-fly. Sponge tire spots, on which eggs are laid, 
with strong carbolic soap. 
Sheep. —Keep the rams fettered or shut up, unless 
you want lambs dropped in January. 
Swine. —Begin to increase the feed in quantity, 
and to improve its quality. Feed any old corn 
which may be left over, always ground and cooked, 
if you would feed with economy. 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
In September we not only harvest many crops, 
but we sow and plant for another year. The true 
horticulturist will not ouly do this in his orchard 
and garden, but will make it with himself a season 
for harvesting ideas, and acquiring facts to be of use 
to him hereafter. To this end he will attend all the 
accessible fairs and exhibitions to learn uihat others 
have been doing—and uot only this, show what he 
has been doing himself. Be sure and attend the 
fair nearest home, and as many others as practicable. 
Orchard anil Nursery. 
Planting may usually be done this mouth, and 
in localities where the autumns are mild, it is pref¬ 
erable to spring for all except stoue fruits. The 
work is dope more thoroughly, and the trees usu¬ 
ally succeed quite as well as those set in spring. 
Nursery Trees should be ordered in good season 
that the planting may be done before heavy frosts. 
Stripping the Leaves. —We are frequently asked if 
stripping the leaves from trees taken up in the fall 
is injurious to them. It is a common practice 
among nurserymen, and we see no objection to it 
if the leaves have finished their functions in ripen¬ 
ing the wood and perfecting the buds. It merely an¬ 
ticipates what would take place at the first storm. 
Picking Fruit. —It is easy to lose money by the 
careless handling of fruit. If there is neglect in 
the picking and packing, much of the care expend¬ 
ed in raising goes for nothing. Our most success¬ 
ful fruit men are those whose fruit opens in the 
market in the best shape. Autumn varieties should 
be picked when fully mature, but before they show 
signs of softening, as they should reach the retail¬ 
er before they are in eating condition. Use new 
barrels. Half-barrels are preferred for pears, though 
many use crates. In either case the package must 
be closed by pressure, so that the fruit will not 
shake. All good fruit should be hand-picked ; some 
ladders for the purpose are figured on page '342. 
Fallen and Refuse Fruit. —It does not pay to send 
poor fruit to market; all the cullings as well as 
that which falls from the trees should be utilized at 
home. Apples, ground and pressed to make vine¬ 
gar, pay a good price; pears may have the sound 
portions cut out and dried, and peaches may be 
dried ; and those portions of all fruits not available 
for other uses, may go to # the piggery. 
Budding.- —The stocks budded last month will 
probably need to have the ties cut. Pear upon 
quince, and peaches may be budded. 
Seeds are to be secured. Peach and other stone 
fruits are to be mixed with earth and exposed to 
frost during winter. Peach stones are usually 
strewn thickly upon a bed and spaded in. 
Fruit. Garden. 
A rich, deep soil should be secured by spading or 
subsoil plowing. Where the season is mild, fall 
planting is advisable. 
Blackberries. —As soon as the crop is off, remove 
the old canes. Top the new growth at 5 feet if not 
already done, and keep the side shoots to about 18 
inches. Three or four canes' are enough to a stool, 
and these should be tied to a stake with strong 
twine. Hoe off all suckers. 
Raspberries should have superfluous suckers kept 
down and the canes tied up, unless they are made 
self-supporting by timely shortening. 
Black-caps. —If it be desired to propagate these, 
throw a little earth upon the pendant tips to keep 
the wind from moving them about. The tips will 
soon strike root. 
Strawberries. —Plants rooted in pots may be set at 
any time. The spring is the favorable season for 
planting strawberries, but many are obliged to do 
it iu the fall. The plants at this season should not 
be allowed to dry at the roots, as they with diffi¬ 
culty recover. If those set this fall make runners, 
pinch them off and keep the beds clear of weeds. 
Grapes. —Use scissors iu gathering and avoid un¬ 
necessary handling, in order to preserve as much as 
possible the bloom upon which the beauty of the 
fruit depends. 
Cun-ants and Gooseberries. —Make cuttings as soon 
as the wood is thorouglily ripened, and set them. 
Giirden. 
Clear up the ground after each crop, and manure 
and plow or spade for winter crops. 
Beans. —Gather and salt string beans, and shell 
and dry Limas for winter use. 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers. —Seeds for the spring 
crops arc sown here this month, from the 10th to 
the 20th, and later further south. The object is to 
get a good, strong, young plant before the ground 
freezes. These plants are set out in cold-frames, 
where they are kept as nearly dormant as possible, 
until time to set them out in early spring. The 
seed is sown in well-prepared seed beds, and the 
plants thinned and weeded as usual. 
Borecole , or Kale. —This, which is known in the 
market as “Sprouts,” is sown this month. See 
page 342. 
Corn. —Dry for winter use, taking that which is 
just fit for the table. Old sweet corn makes a very 
poor dried article. It is boiled long enough to set 
the milk, before euttiug from the cob. 
Cucumbers.— Gather for pickles every other day. 
Celery is to he earthed up ten days or two weeks 
before it is required for use. For the general treat¬ 
ment of the crop we refer to Mr. Henderson’s ar¬ 
ticle, published in the June number. 
Endive. —Blanch by tying, or by covering the 
plants with mats in dry weather. 
Melons. —Choice specimens may be made to ripen 
evenly by putting a bit of board under them. Use 
for mangoes those which set too late to ripen. 
Onions to be stored for winter, need to be thor¬ 
oughly cured. They should not be in large enough 
masses to heat. Onion sets of all kinds need to be 
spread in thin layers in cool lofts. 
Radishes. —The winter varieties may be sown. 
The Chinese Rose-colored we consider the best. 
Shallots. —See article on page 344. 
Spinach. —Its cultivation is given on page 341. 
Sweet Potatoes. —By carefully opening the rows, 
some of the largest roots may be removed for use, 
and the others allowed to grow. It is necessary to 
dig the crop at the first touch of frost, otherwise 
the potatoes will not keep. 
Tomatoes. —Can and make catsup while in their 
prime. The late ripening is apt to be watery. 
Turnips. —The round varieties may still be sown. 
Give the Swedes good culture, and phosphate. 
Manure. —Garden refuse should be turned to ac¬ 
count in the piggery or compost heap. Burn weeds 
with ripened seeds, and spread the ashes. 
Flower Garden and Law r n. 
Now that the intense heats are over, the garden 
should be gay with late-blooming plants. 
Cannas. —These fine ornaments to the garden are 
very sensitive to frost. If the foliage be injured, 
it is with difficulty that the roots can be preserved. 
When frost is threatened, lift the roots, and lay 
them under a shed to mature. 
Chrysanthemums are so brittle that they are liable 
to be broken by storms, and should be staked. Pot 
those intended for house blooming, as soon as the 
buds are well formed, shading them for a few days. 
Dahlias will need careful staking and tying, to 
keep them from injury. Side stakes, in addition to 
the central one, will be useful. Remove misshapen 
buds and flowers that have passed their prime. 
Bulbs. —All of the spring-blooming ones that 
were taken up in summer, are to be put out at the 
end of the month. 
Herbaceous Perennials.- —The majority are oetter 
removed this month, than in spring. Sow seeds. 
Peeonies , if they require moving, should be trans¬ 
planted this month. 
Pits and Cellars for the reception of half-hardy 
plants, will allow one to preserve many things usu¬ 
ally kept in a greenhouse. A dry, well-lighted 
cellar, which is safe from frost, will keep plants in 
a dormant state admirably. 
and Window Fiaiits. 
The houses should be in readiness to receive the 
plants as soon as the weather requires that they 
should be taken in. 
Potting of plants that have been turned out into 
the borders, will require early attention. It is bet¬ 
ter with most things to start with young plants 
from cuttings, as it is often difficult t.o bring the 
old ones into satisfactory shape. 
Bulbs for winter blooming are to be potted as 
early as they can be procured ; plunge the pots in 
a dry place, and cover them with coal ashes. 
Annuals. —Sow Mignonette, Candytuft, and such 
others, as are desired for winter flowers. 
Hanging Baskets and Window Boxes —Start these 
early, so that the plants may be well established 
by the time they are taken in-doors. Ivy forms the 
best groundwork for baskets. 
Cuttings of bedding plants should be made for 
a stock of plants to keep through the winter. 
