1868.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Lbtatocs.— Dig when the vines are dead. Store.as 
directed on page 364. Potatoes are not roots, and 
require different treatment. The tubers are fleshy 
underground stems'. They are more sensitive to frost, 
and do not require the same amount of ventilation. 
Sorghum. —It is best to make clean work as you 
go. Cut up, top, and strip at one operation; bind 
with two bands, and if possible have the stalks 
hauled at once to the mill. The seed makes good 
feed for sheep and other stock, and the dried leaves 
and suckers tolerable fodder. We would be 
glad to know how they compare with corn fodder. 
Corn. —Husk when the corn is hard and the 
husks dry. Bind the stalks and set them up in 
well-braced stooks, bound firmly at the tops so 
that they will stand through a gale of wind, and 
shed rain. See article on Corn Fodder, page 363. 
Soiling Crops —Wheat and rye may both be sown 
for spring feeding. See hints last month, p. 315. 
Winter Grain. —Wheat often does well sown as 
late as the early part of this month, but it is better, 
as a general rule, north of lat. 41° to sow earlier, 
and to put in rye if the time has passed by, even 
though the land be prepared for wheat. Rye may 
be sown any time during the month on good 
land with assurance of a well paying crop. 
Draining. —This is one of the most favorable sea¬ 
sons for pushing ahead this kind of work. Labor 
is usually cheaper, and it interferes less with the 
work of the farm—either by disturbing the fields, 
or taking hands from other work. Make thorough 
work ; half-way work never pays in the long run. 
Weeds. —On wet days cut weeds, put them in 
heaps, and burn them when dry. The ashes will 
be of some use ; the seeds will be killed. 
Buildings. —Push forward all necessary repairs ; 
tighten up barns and sheds, look out for loose 
clapboards, and patch shingle roofs. It is not 
best to re-roof barns at this season when they are 
full of hay. Many mails in hay are often fatal to 
cattle and horses, and a few are bad for their 
teeth, and also for hay cutters of ail kinds. 
Cooking Hay for Cattle kills weed seeds, many 
of which would otherwise pass through the ani¬ 
mals, and grow when carried to the field in manure. 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
The leaves have done their work ! All summer 
long they have taken the sunlight and given off 
nothing but green, but now that their work is ac¬ 
complished, they and the sun are having a gala 
time of it, and they throw his light back in crimson 
and gold. The fruit, too, which lias heretofore been 
green, now splashes itself with carmine, and turns 
its ruddy cheek to the sun. The Great Artist puts 
the last touches to the fruit in the beautiful waxen 
bloom that betokens perfection. The harvest of the 
orchard and the great harvest of the forest are this 
month gathered. The ripe leaves lighten the scene 
with their transient glow, and dutifully fall to the 
earth to give up what they have received. Did you 
ever look at the place from which a leaf has fallen ? 
Just there is a bud all ready for next spring’s work. 
Is not there a lesson here, when even an inanimate 
leaf, as we are accustomed to call it, thus early 
makes provision for another year ? We might dwell 
upon this point, but as old Boerhaave says : “ I have 
said enough for those who take me, and for those 
who do not, nothing would be enough.” 
Orchard and Nursery. 
Picking of the late varieties of fruit is mamly 
done this month. Hand picking with every care 
to avoid bruises is the only method to be com¬ 
mended. Place the fruit carefully in bins or on 
shelves in the fruit cellar, or put in barrels at once. 
Barrelling should be done in clean new barrels ; 
take out the bottom head, place the fruit in regular 
layers, and fill to about ah inch above'the chine; 
bring the head into place by means of a screw or 
lever press. A few of the apples next to the head 
will bo indented, but the rest will be held in place 
and will not bruise in transportation. Turn the 
barrel over and mark the top with the name of the 
variety. Never put more than one kind in a pack¬ 
age and keep poor fruit out altogether. Keep the 
fruit, whether in barrels or not, at as low and uni¬ 
form a temperature above freezing as possible. 
Late Pears may be treated the same as apples. 
Autumn varieties should be placed on shelves 
where their progress in ripening may be watched. 
Cider Making. —The best cider is made from the 
best fruit. A rich saccharine juice is needed to make 
the finest article. Assort the fruit and convert the 
inferior lot into vinegar. Put the juice into clean 
casks, and allow the fermentation to go on slowly 
in a cool cellar. When the fermentation has ceased, 
rack off into other clean casks and bung up. 
Vinegar. —A good article of cider vinegar finds a 
ready sale. See article on vinegar on page 367. 
Pomace may go to the piggery or into the com¬ 
post heap. If seeds are wanted, wash them out be¬ 
fore the pomace ferments. In washing large quan¬ 
tities a continuous stream of water is required. 
This is run into a box in which the pomace is 
placed. The pomace being stirred the lighter por¬ 
tions are carried off by the flowing water, and the 
heavier seed remains. Collect and dry it. 
Planting may be done if the land is in good order. 
Lay out the ground beforehand, either in regular 
rows or in the quincunx order. The last plan al¬ 
lows the land to be occupied to the best advantage. 
For details and other hints on laying out an orchard 
6ee last March Agriculturist , page 102. 
Labels are often so wired to nursery trees as to cut 
the bark when growth commences. See to these 
as the trees are planted. While labels are con¬ 
venient for reference in the orchard, do not trust to 
them, but have a record or map of the position of 
each variety. Plant the same variety together. 
Nursery Stock. —Look to that budded this autumn, 
and loosen the tyings if needed. Manure between 
the rows of the older stock, and cut back the 
growth to give a proper shape to the trees. 
Fruit Garden. 
Planting of shrubs and trees may be done when¬ 
ever the autumns are usually mild, aud it is better 
to do it now with the blackberry aud raspberry 
than to wait until spring, as the buds start early. 
Jlaspberries and Blackberries when set out should 
have the canes cut back to the ground. If left, a 
slight crop may be gathered next summer at the 
expense of the future welfare of the plants. Rasp¬ 
berries may be set from 4 to 6 feet apart and black¬ 
berries from 6 to 8 feet. If grown as a hedge, they 
may be placed much nearer, say half the distance. 
Gooseberries and Currants may be pruned when¬ 
ever the leaves have fallen. Cut out as much of 
the old wood as will leave the bush open, and shorten 
this year’s growth one-half, more or less, according 
to its vigor, cutting back the weakest shoots the 
most severely. Use the prunings of new wood for 
Cuttings , which are to be about 6 inches long and 
planted 4 inches apart in trenches, with only an 
inch above the surface. Ram the soil firmly against 
the base of the cuttings, and cover the bed with 
leaves or litter when freezing weather comes on. 
Grapes. —Full ripeness is desirable, whether they 
are to be used for the table or for wine. Grapes to 
to be packed for winter should be allowed to stand 
a few days to “ cure.” They are then put in 5 or 10 
jiound boxes, which are to be packed full, the cover, 
or bottom rather, crowded on with a slight pressure 
and nailed. The boxes are then to be kept in a 
cool, dry room at an uniformly low temperature, 
but the fruit must not be allowed to freeze. 
Strawberries started in pots may still be planted. 
Kitchen CJardew. 
B-eparc the Soil for spring crops. Sod ground 
may be manured and plowed, as well as land from 
which crops have been removed. Plowing is now 
much more easily performed than in spring. Stiff 
land should be thrown into ridges, to get the bene¬ 
fit of the ameliorating action of the winter’s frosts. 
351 
Protection to those crops left out over winter 
ought not to be given too early. All of these plants 
are nearly hardy, and there is danger of smothering 
them if covered too soon. Many things make a 
good growth in the warm autumn days. 
Preserving Boots, etc.— Only in very cold localities 
will roots need to be stored for winter as early as 
this month. It is best, however, to have everything 
ready to store and house the crops should heavy 
frosts make it necessary. If cellars are used for 
storing, have bins, barrels, etc., ready. Pits are 
better than cellars. They must be made in dry 
ground, where the water will drain off. They are 
made 3 or 4 feet wide and 6 feet deep. A section 2 
feet in length is packed witli roots, then 6 inches 
from that another similar section, and so on. The 
spaces between are filled with earth, and later 
in the season all are covered with earth. This 
is only done when freezing weather is at hand. 
Asparagus. —When the tops turn yellow, cut and 
burn them. Do not put them in the compost heap, 
as the seeds retain their vitality, and if distributed 
in manure produce troublesome “weeds.” 
Beets —Let them grow until hard frosts are at 
hand; then dig and store in pits or in the cellar. 
Cabbages. —Prepare frames for wintering young 
plants, which should be a foot high at the rear and 
8 inches in front, wide enough for the sash to be 
used, and as long as needed. They should be set on 
light soil and where water will drain off readily. 
The plants are to be set 2J^ inches apart each way, 
deep enough to cover all the stems. Do not cover 
with sash until the approach of freezing weather. 
Cauliflowers. —The youug plants to be wintered 
are to be set as directed for cabbages. Gather the 
late crop as it is ready. There are often many 
plants that do not head. These, at the approach 
of frosty weather, should be set in a pit or light 
cellar, and many of them will form heads. 
Celery. —Finish earthing up. The earth is'to be 
banked up against the stalks nearly to the top of 
the leaves. In most places, next month will be 
early enough to store it away for winter. 
Lettuce. —Young plants may beset in frames, as 
directed for cabbages. In warm localities young 
plants of the hardy kinds, covered with leaves 
or other light litter, will pass the winter safely. 
Horseradish is to be left in the ground until frost, 
when it is to be dug and preserved like other roots. 
Rhubarb.— Where vegetation is at rest, new plant¬ 
ations may be made. Cut an old root so as to leave 
a bud to each piece, and plant in rich soil. 
Spinach. —Keep the late crop clean. In cutting 
for use, take it from those portions of the rows 
that are most crowded and need thinning. 
Squashes. —See article on preserving on page 368. 
Sweet Potatoes, when the vines are first touched 
by frost, are to be dug. In digging and handling 
be careful not to bruise them. Those to be kept 
should dry for a day in the sun, and then be packed 
in sand, cut straw, or leaves. Whatever material is 
used must be perfectly dry. Keep in a warm and 
dry place, where the mercury will not fall belo w 60°. 
Flower Garden and Lawn.' 
The weather is now more favorable thau in spring 
for all work like grading, road and walk making, 
draining, laying out borders, and the like. 
Lawns. —In preparing for these a deep and rich 
soil is necessary, and usually drainage is required. 
House Plants that have been during summer in 
borders should not be left there too late. See 
article on the treatment of these, page 370. 
Chrysanthemums, especially of the tall-growing 
kinds, will need stakes; the weight of bloom, espe¬ 
cially when wet, is aptto break them down. Potior 
house blooming when the buds are well developed. 
Perennials of most kinds need to be taken up 
every few years, divided and reset. 
Pceonies. —These almost always fail to flower if 
removed in spring. Take up the roots eaily this 
month, while they are dormant, divide so as to have 
a bud with each piece, and plant in deep, rich soil. 
