1874.] 
323 
AMERICAN AGRIC CLT UR 1ST. 
Rye .—This crop is worth growing, both for the 
straw and for the grain. A few acres will furnish 
bands for a large field of corn, and the chopped 
grain with com is excellent feed for horses. Two 
bushels of seed per acre is sufficient. If kept 
separate at harvest it may be sown at the end of a 
wheat field. Upon poor, light, or gravelly soils, it 
should be sown in preference to wheat, as a more 
profitable crop. 
Grass Seed .—Few iarmers are able to get their 
soil in sufficiently good tilth, or rich enough to sow 
grass seed alone with profit. Where it can be done 
conveniently, a crop of hay may be mown the next 
season. In this case half a bushel of timothy is a 
proper quantity of seed. Generally, however, it is 
best sown with fall grain. If clover is to be sown 
in the spring, six or eight quarts of timothy per 
acre, should be sown immediately after the grain is 
drilled or harrowed in. It will find sufficient 
covering by the gradual mellowing of the soil. A 
quarter of an inch of covering is all that is needed. 
Sow only clean fresh seed. If the seed is old, one 
half more will be needed. 
Fall Fallowing .—This should not be neglected. 
The corn stubble should be thoroughly cultivated 
between the shocks, as soon as the corn is cut. 
Potato ground that is unoccupied should be har¬ 
rowed, and every opportunity offered for the weeds 
to grow. A harrowing will then destroy them, and 
start others to grow which may be killed in the 
spring. Every way in which weeds may be killed 
should be studied and put in practice. 
Glover Seed .—It is useless to try to get a crop of 
seed and fodder at the same time, from a late cut¬ 
ting of clover. It is best to devote all the atten¬ 
tion to saving the seed. If it is exposed to fain it 
is easier thrashed, and the labor saved is of more 
value than the poor fodder which could be se¬ 
cured. It should be thoroughly dry when put into 
the barn. If taken from home to be hulled it is 
worth while to save the chaff for the manure pile. 
We have hulled clover in the ordinary thrashing 
machine, by lowering the concave and fastening a 
strong board in front. The seed and chaff will 
work out below the cylinder if one side is opened. 
Buckwheat .—This crop upon low ground is easily 
injured by frost. Rather than allow the crop to be 
injured, it is better to cut it early, although some 
of the grain be green. In the stook it is safe, and 
the unripe grain will mature by a few days expos¬ 
ure. In drawing home the crop, spread a barn 
eheet in the wagon to catch the loosened grain. 
Thrash, as it is drawn from the field. Clean up the 
seed at once to prevent heating, and put it into 
shallow bins. If the grain heats it should be 
turned. The first grain in the market always 
brings the best price. 
Beans .—Harvest beans carefully to preserve the 
color. Rain or mildew will reduce the value 50 per 
cent. Stack in tall narrow heaps around single 
stakes set in the ground, and cap the stacks with 
straw to shed rain. Thrash as soon as dry, and store 
in barrels in a dry place. 
Gutting Corn .—This is the great work of the 
month. As soon as the corn is glazed to the tips 
of the ears, it is ready to cut. If struck with frost 
the fodder is seriously injured. Topping corn is 
excusable only where fodder is worth nothing. We 
have not found that place yet. The heaviest West¬ 
ern corn may be profitably cut up to the butts for 
fodder. The practice of leaving a hill uncut to 
hold up the shock, is more troublesome in the end 
than setting up the shocks securely at first. 
Spread the butts well, and tie the tops of the shocks 
with rye straw bands. There will be no more 
shocks blown over, than if a hill is left uncut in 
the center of each. Our plan is to cut five hills 
each way, or if in rows 20 feet of each row for 
five rows. This makes a shock that will dry 
thoroughly in two weeks. Corn cut before the 10th 
6liould be husked before the end of the month. 
Cold fingers and benumbed hands make slow husk¬ 
ing. A good husking machine is made, but strange¬ 
ly no one seems to want it. There are a great 
many farmers who could profitably invest $100 in a 
good corn husker. 
Potatoes .—As this crop ripens it should be dug. 
Tender early sorts such as Early Rose, are often 
damaged greatly by wire worms or white grubs. 
We never made anything, but often lost, by storing 
potatoes instead of selling them. 75c. a bushel is 
worth more now than a dollar in spring. A good 
way to dig potatoes in drills, is to plow a furrow 
close to the row going up, then do the same down 
the next row ; then plow beneath the first row 
turning it upon the first furrow, and so on through 
the field. The potatoes are all exposed and can be 
raked out with the hoe or harrow. To sort them in 
the field is a saving of time and labor. Gather up 
the tops with the horse rake, and cart them to the 
barn-yard. 
Vermin are now gathering their harvest, and 
making nests for the winter. Get rid of the dogs, 
and encourage cats around the buildings. Feed 
them regularly, and they will hunt with double 
vigor. Open up all hiding places to the light, and 
have passages around and under the bins in the 
granary, where cats can get in and out. Place tin 
caps on the posts of the corn cribs. Rats, although 
sagacious, may be vanquished by perseverance. 
Feeding Animals .—Flesh and fat are now made at 
half the cost of feeding in November. Much food 
may now be gathered up, which costs little, and 
would otherwise be wasted. Boil the screenings 
from the thrashing machine with small potatoes for 
the hogs, and feed sound old corn, or, what is bet¬ 
ter, corn meal. Pork made with soft corn is not 
cheaply made. Keep the soft corn and nubbins 
for the store hogs. Now is the season to buy stock 
for feeding during the winter, to make manure. 
Farmers who are economical with their feed, and 
have some to spare, had better buy a few head of 
stock, than sell hay or straw. But buy with judg¬ 
ment ; an animal well bought is half sold. 
Sheep .—If sheep are not marked, this should be 
done forthwith. For valuable breeding sheep, metal¬ 
lic ear-marks should be used. Common sheep should 
be marked with red chalk, or Venetian red and oil. 
Ewes may be marked across the shoulders ; weth¬ 
ers across the rump; and those that are to be sold 
off, with a stripe down their backs. If the flock 
has not been separated, no time should be lost in 
doing this. Ewes and wethers, selected for fat¬ 
tening, should be put by themselves into a good 
pasture, and fed a little grain. Lambs should be 
put, along with a dry ewe for company, into a field 
away from the rest of the flock. As the ewes come 
into season, the danger from dogs is greatly in¬ 
creased, and watchfulness should be redoubled. It 
is in vain to depend upon bells, except as a means 
for giving alarm. 
Milk Cows should receive the best attention. Sep¬ 
tember packed butter is equal to -Jvine butter in 
quality, and will keep as well. Fresh cows at this 
season are very profitable, and pay well for the 
extra care and attention needed. 
Young Stock .—Young growing animals should go 
into winter quarters in good condition. Their 
future value greatly depends upon their care during 
their first winter. They must be kept growing. 
Food must not be stinted, and shelter from early 
cold rains should be provided for them. 
Horses .—When frost has arrived, pasture is no 
longer sufficient for horses. Frosted grass has but 
little nourishment. Fresh corn stalks cut and 
mixed with meal, or chopped oats and corn will 
make excellent fodder, and be greatly relished. 
Old Stock .—-'There is no profit in feeding stock 
that is past its prime. It is waste of feed and 
money. As soon as any animal begins to fail it 
should be disposed of. Old cows, old oxen, old 
sows, and old hens, form the bulk of the stock 
upon many farms. The young animals are sold off. 
This is the reverse of what is wise and profitable. 
Meadows and Clover Fields .—It is an unprofitable 
practice to pasture young clover, or the aftermath 
of meadows. If there is a heavy growth, moderate 
stocking may be allowed, but the droppings should 
be spread evenly. 
Sundry Matters .—Harvesting machines should be 
oiled and put away without delay. Ditches should 
be cleaned out, and the soil taken at once to the 
manure pile. Weeds should be cut everywhere, 
and if the seeds are ripe, they should be burned. 
Many loads of rubbish may be gathered from the 
roadsides and fences, for the compost heap. Fire 
wood should be cut and piled. Wood-lots should 
be cleaned up, and all work should be kept well 
ahead. It is no time now to be driven by work. 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
If the crops have been kept clean during the 
summer, the growth of weeds will now be very 
slight, and but little labor will be needed to destroy 
the few which now appear. September brings with 
its harvest time a season of planting, as there are 
numerous crops to be put in for next spring. The 
fall fairs should be visited, and if there are any held 
at accessible points, the farmer should exhibit his 
finest productions, both of fruit and vegetables ; it 
will tend to keep up the interest of the society, 
and besides will be of great use to himself in 
bringing his products to notice. The local Farmers’ 
Club or Grange ought not to be neglected, one 
evening a week can easily be spared for the discus¬ 
sion of varieties and modes of culture, manures, 
and gardening questions in general. A merchant 
studies the markets, and the different ways of put¬ 
ting up his wares, and a gardener should do the 
same, as his business will show at once the benefit 
ox careful thought and good judgment bestowed 
upon it. A select library of good books, upon the 
different branches of horticulture, ought to be 
found in every gardener’s house, as well as the 
most reliable journals. 
Orclsard and Nursery. 
Drying Fruit. — Commence as soon as fully 
mature. If large quantities are to be preserved in 
this way, it will pay to get a fruit-drier of some 
kind, but as most private families only dry enough 
for home use, the common method is to employ the 
heat of the sun. Where there are hot-bed sashes, 
these may be used to great advantage. A frame rais¬ 
ed a foot or so from the ground upon legs, and 
covered with sashes, will dry fruit and vegetables 
rapidly and cheaply. Make ventilating holes and 
cover with gauze. 
Trees which were set in the spring, and now show 
signs of drying out, should have the soil around 
them removed to the depth of three or four inches, 
and then be thoroughly watered; afterwards re¬ 
place the earth and apply a heavy mulch; this 
will often save them. 
Seed-beds.— Shade the young plants, and keep 
weeded, as directed last month. 
Marketing .—Carefully pick and assort all fruit 
sent to market. Never on any consideration shake 
or knock fruit from trees. Fall fruit should be 
marketed while firm and still fully developed. 
Evergreens may be removed now as well as in the 
spring, if care is taken to preserve plenty of the 
earth around the roots. Never allow the roots to 
be exposed to the sun or air, and if a damp, cloudy 
day is selected, all the better, otherwise, water at 
planting. 
Labels .—See that all trees and shrubs are provided 
with new labels where necessary. Do not, how¬ 
ever, depend on labels entirely; a plan is easily 
made, and the position and name of each marked. 
Seeds of peach and plum, from healthy trees, 
may be saved and preserved in boxes of sand for 
planting. 
Plowing should be done as early as possible, and 
if new orchards are to be set, the plowing and 
manuring may be done at once. It is best to keep 
all young orchards plowed. 
Nursery rows should be kept clear of weeds, with 
the hoe and cultivator. 
JFrsiit Casirdeia. 
Blackberries .—Remove the fruiting canes after 
they have done bearing, and cut out all but three 
or four new canes, shortening these to five or six 
feet, and the side shoots to eighteen inches. 
