September 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
contingencies, is that to afford just ground for sup¬ 
posing that He lias not, like everything else in the 
creation within the handling of man, stamped it with 
the impress, “ Hitherto shalt thou go, and no further?” 
Our advice is, that when the disease in the leaves and 
stems assumes the character of rotting, gangrene, or 
mortification, that the potatoes be taken up as soon 
as possible. When, however, the stems are merely 
withering and dry, why then the haulm may be cut 
away and. the potatoes left in the ground a few weeks, 
taking care to soil them over, adding four or five 
inches of soil. As seed potatoes will answer very 
well somewhat under-ripe, provided they be kept free 
from fermentation, we would in all cases take these 
up before the disease had destroyed the tops: better be 
under-ripe than diseased. We need hardly say that 
they must be dried as soon as possible, and kept dry; 
the drier the better, provided artificial heat has no 
part in the affair. We highly approve of what are 
termed “whole sets” for planting ; indeed, we plant 
nothing else. These need not be any larger than a 
cob walnut, and should be selected with a rough skin 
if possible. 
Carrots. —If any carrots of the early sowings still 
remain on the ground, they should be taken up by 
the middle of the month at least. If injured by the 
grub, they may he removed some weeks sooner. Our 
practice is to commence cutting their tops by hand 
about the end of September, and cutting a few daily 
for the cow or pig until they are all gone. We cut 
them slightly below the crown, or “ into the quick,” 
as it is termed, for they keep much sounder this way 
if fermentation be avoided; and the tops thus cut 
form an excellent material for the pig. They may 
be piled, when thoroughly dry, in any outhouse; 
and if there be any bulk of them, a layer of clean 
sand, or charred material, may be placed amongst 
them in layers, in order to avoid fermentation. They 
may finally have some litter or old cloths placed 
over them, or even a layer of soil. 
Mangold-wurtzel. —All the tops of the mangold 
may be turned to excellent account by daily drawing 
some of the leaves, commencing the operation in the 
first week of October, as soon as the leaves begin to 
turn yellow, or become ragged. This occurs with 
the lower leaves first. By the end of the month all 
will have been pulled, and eaten by the cow or pig, 
and then, finally, the crown may be cut off, cutting 
slightly into the neck, but not so far down as in the 
carrot, for these are rather liable to rot. The crowns 
make excellent pig meat. 
Parsnips. —There is no occasion to take these up 
until February, unless the roots or the ground are 
wanted. Our practice is to lay the manure intended 
for the next year’s crop on the ground containing 
the parsnips, in the early part of November, spread¬ 
ing it over their crowns equally. This will thoroughly 
preserve them from frost, for they are a very hardy 
root. If taken up, let them be trenched out, manur¬ 
ing for the next crop as before observed. The ma¬ 
nure will blend regularly with the soil, and, by 
trenching in ridges, the ground will only require 
levelling down for a crop in February or March. 
After taking up, they are stored away like carrots. 
Swedish Turnips. —The tops of these may be cut 
and used up as the mangold, only, as they are a 
much hardier root, their cutting need not commence 
until the mangold tops are all used up. Both these 
and the mangold are kept in the highest preserva¬ 
tion by selecting a high and dry bank, if possible, in 
a shady situation. The ground should be so high 
that no water can possibly stand on it; and here 
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they may he piled about four feet in height, by a 
yard in width at the bottom, finishing off at top 
like the ridge of a house. It is well to place a 
chimney here and there to suffer the heat and steam 
to escape, at least for mangold ; some place draining 
tiles perpendicularly, others a straight bundle of 
clean well-drawn straw, but a huge stump, a foot in 
diameter at top, and tapering to the other end, 
placed with the point downwards, will make a very 
good issue for steam, by placing them at about six 
feet apart during the piling process, and drawing 
them out when the work is complete. For mangold, 
the whole must be thatched; but for Swedes, a 
good topping up with rough litter will suffice. 
Jerusalem Artichokes. —There need be no con¬ 
cern about these. They keep better in the ground 
than any other way, and no amount of frost seems 
to injure them. 
Beans, Peas, &c. —If any old rows remain, they 
should be drawn up; and if any seed remains on tho¬ 
roughly ripe, it may be put by for spring sowing. 
Unless, however, it is very perfect, such is not worth 
saving, hut had better be given to the cow or pigs. 
The sticks must be piled up in a dry corner, not 
thrown down. 
Scarlet Runners, Dwarf Kidney Beans, &c.— 
These should be closely gathered now, for fear of 
frost; all overgrown pods may be given at once to 
the pig. 
Cabbages. —Let all decaying leaves he frequently 
collected ; those even only slightly green will do for 
the pigs, the others for the manure heap. The cab¬ 
bages sown in the middle of August will now be 
getting strong plants: if any ground is intended to 
be planted with cabbage, it should be prepared forth¬ 
with by digging some manure in. The largest from 
the seed beds may be selected, planting them accord¬ 
ing to the kinds: the York, Matchless, Nonpareil, 
and other small kinds, at sixteen or eighteen inches 
between the rows, and twelve inches between the 
plants; and the Sugar-loaf, Battersea, and the larger 
kinds, at three inches more apart each way. What 
remains in the seed bed should be planted thickly 
in store beds to remain until spring. 
Brocolis, Savoys, Green Kale, &c. —Nothing is 
requisite for these but soiling up and a freedom from 
weeds. When any are cut for use, the side leaves 
must be assiduously collected for the pig or cow. 
Common Turnips. —Those sown late will now re¬ 
quire a little thinning out and hand weeding: if 
early crops are becoming overgrown, they may be 
pulled, their heads cut off, and pitted like potatoes, 
but above the ground level. 
Lettuce and Spinach. —If any of the summer 
crops remain, let them be used up forthwith, and the 
beds whereon they grew dug in ridges, to sweeten 
for spring crops. The pigs will consume all these 
things; the superior meat being given to the fatten¬ 
ing hog, and the rest to the store pig. If a bed of 
lettuces to stand the winter was sown in August, the 
plants must be pricked out as they get large enough. 
Let a raised bed be formed six inches above the 
ground level, and “ prick” out the plants two inches 
apart all over. When they are frozen slightly, and 
not before , strew a little long litter over them, and 
keep them from thawing as long as possible. When 
uncovered of necessity, do not take the litter entirely 
off'; the sunshine even of winter does much harm 
coming suddenly upon them. 
Nasturtiums for Pickling. —These are impatient 
of the least frost; if, therefore, any remain on the 
plants, pick them immediately, or they will be lost. 
