WORK FOR OCTOBER, SOUTH. 
299 
and shrubs may now be propagated by suckers. 
Lay out new pleasure grounds. 
WORK FOR OCTOBER, SOUTH. 
General Remarks*— Most of the hints given for 
the Work for September, South, will be applicable 
to this month, as harvesting cotton , sowing oats , 
wheat, rye , fyc., fyc. 
Preparation for the Cane Harvest*— In the course 
of this month, let the planter get everything in 
readiness for cutting and grinding sugar cane. If 
necessary, repair the roads leading from the cane 
fields to the mill; put in order your carts and 
yokes; procure and sharpen the knives or hooks 
for cutting the cane-; see that the sugar mill, or 
rollers, is propoHy geared, well oiled, and clean. 
If your business will warrant it, procure, by all 
means, a steam engine, rather than use horses or 
mules. See that your boilers are well set, and that 
the flues are strong, as well as clear of filth. Put 
all minor utensils in good order, as the conductors, 
or gutters, coolers, vats, hogsheads, boxes, &c. 
Read all works, also, in your power, on the modern 
improvements in sugar making. 
Planting Cane. —By the last of this month, in 
Florida, Texas, and Louisiana, more or less of the 
cane will have arrived at its usual maturity, from 
which you should provide for your future crops. 
Give early attention to the saving of your cane for 
planting, on account of the injury it receives from 
frosts, which are liable to occur by or before the 
middle of next month. This plant is always pro¬ 
pagated by cuttings, which should be obtained 
from the best cane of the preceding season. From 
the use of unripe tops, and close, negligent plant¬ 
ing, it is supposed the Creole cane has degenerated 
to its present diminutive size. There is less vigor 
and growth usually from tops than from the ripened 
cane; though where these are matured and a por¬ 
tion of the ripe stalk is left with it, the resulting 
crops, under the most favorable circumstances, are 
scarcely distinguishable. Fine growth frequently 
follows planting the tops, where the land is new 
aud fertile; but it is the exception and not the rule. 
Good husbandry dictates a reliance on sound, ma¬ 
ture cane only, for general use. There is no doubt, 
that in accordance with the general laws of vege¬ 
tation, the cane crop would be benefitted by a change 
of the plant cane from one section of country to 
another. But as this would be attended with so 
much trouble and expense as to preclude the under¬ 
taking, the only remaining means available for 
securing improvement, or preventing deterioration, 
is to be found in planting the best qualities of 
healthy cane. 
In order to preserve the cane, it is kept from the 
period of cutting till planting, simply by placing 
at on a dry surface of the field, in beds, or “ mat¬ 
tresses,” as they are technically termed, of about 
two feet in depth, and having the tops shingling, or 
overlapping, the ripe portion of the stalk. The 
tops should lie towards the south, to prevent their 
being lifted and frozen from severe north winds, 
which sometimes occur. Thick beds preserve a 
more uniform temperature, and repel the approach 
both of frost and the rays of the sun; thus serv¬ 
ing the double purpose, besides their preservation 
from frost, of preventing fermentation during fall 
1 and winter, and germination on the approach of 
spring. 
It is well to preserve an excess of cane for plant¬ 
ing, as continued and severe spring frosts may cut 
down and destroy so many young shoots, as to 
leave a deficiency, unless partially replanted. 
Many think the cane will keep better by being 
cut soon after a rain, so as to be bedded with the 
sap vessels full, and that dry rot follows when cut 
after a long drought. Some, however, allow it to 
lie on the ground and wilt for two or three days 
after cutting, and think, when thus treated, it keeps 
equally well. 
Storing Sweet Potatoes. —In the latter part of this 
month, or early in November, prepare for preserv¬ 
ing sweet potatoes for winter and spring. Select a 
dry .spot, level the ground, and lay down a bed of 
straw, so as to form a circle about six feet in di¬ 
ameter. On this straw, pile up the potatoes until 
they form a cone four or five feet high, over which 
spread a little dry grass or straw. Cover the entire 
cone with corn stalks, set up endwise, with the 
buts resting on the ground, and the tops reaching 
over the apex of the heap, sufficiently thick to con¬ 
ceal the potatoes. Then cover the whole pile with, 
earth, at least a foot thick, without leaving any air 
hole at the top, as is frequently the case. A tem¬ 
porary shelter should then be made over the cone, 
so as to prevent the rains from washing off the 
earth. This may be done by setting in the ground 
near the base of the pile four forked stakes, on 
which rails or small poles may be placed, to sup¬ 
port a covering of bark, rough boards, or thatch. 
Potatoes can be preserved in this manner until 
June, nearly as fresh as when new. 
Kitchen Garden. —Sow beets, turnips, onions, 
cabbages, (early and large sorts,) radishes, (round 
and long,) lettuce, celery, chervil, endive, cress, 
spinach, Windsor and pole beans, lentils, mustard, 
sorrel, parsley, and roquet. Transplant asparagus 
and strawberries; also cabbage roots for seed. 
Dress artichokes, take away all their suckers but 
three to each stalk, open their roots, lay about them 
new earth and manure, and plant out suckers for 
another crop. 
Fruit Garden , Shrubbery , fyc. —At the end of 
this month, transplant all kinds of trees and shrubs 
except oranges and lemons. 
Dr. Cloud’s Seed Wheat. —We have just re¬ 
ceived a letter from Dr. Cloud, of La Place, Macon 
county, Alabama, in which he says, that the severe 
frost, on the 15th of April last, almost entirely de¬ 
stroyed his wheat. At that time, it was very pro¬ 
mising, and he hoped to have grown seed enough 
to furnish all his friends with his choice variety. 
He desires us to inform all those gentlemen who 
have applied to him for some of this wheat, that he 
has carefully filed away their letters, and if he is 
fortunate enough another year to save a good crop 
of seed, he will see that they are all abundantly 
supplied. 
Solon Robinson. —To the numerous enquirers 
after Mr. R., it gives us pleasure to say. that, aftei 
a brief visit to his family in Indiana, he has re¬ 
turned to this city, and is again our active and 
efficient agent in the field of agriculture. We 
shall detail his intended winter rout next month. 
