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layered carnations ; water such layered carnations as 
were formerly removed; gently water choice auri- 
culas in dry weather, and protect them by covering 
in very rainy weather; transplant biennial and per- 
ennial plants, raised from.spring and early-summer 
sowings, or from slips, offsets, layers, pipings, and 
divided roots; trim or plant edgings of thrift; clip 
such hedges as are still untrimmed ; propagate many 
kinds of fibrous-rooted perennials from slips or off- 
sets, or by division of the roots; and keep lawns, 
walks, and borders in a state of perfect cleanliness 
and order. 
OcTOBER. 
Phenomena.—October is frequently the most set- 
tled month in the year. Its prevailing temperature, 
as compared with the shortness of its days, is yaually 
very high; yet this is largely occasioned by great 
radiation of heat from the soil; and, in some years, 
it is vastly reduced or occasionally overwhelmed by 
frosty and snowy premonitions of winter. The ther- 
mometer usually ranges between 35° and 54° by 
night, and between 50° and 65° by day; and it has 
a mean height of about 49° ; yet it not unfrequently 
falls below the freezing point by night, and has been 
known to rise so high as 77° by day. The barometer 
has a mean height of 29°6 inches; and usually ranges 
between 28° and 31°6. The mean fall of rain, on 
the average of many years, is about two inches ; and 
the mean evaporation is nearly 14 inch. The winds 
are usually soft and comparatively lull; and, on the 
average of many years, they blow 3 days from about 
the north, 3 from about the north-east, 23 from about 
the east, 34 from about the south-east, 24 from about 
the south, 6 from about the south-west, 43 from about 
the west, and 6} from about the north-west. 
In the early part of October, hollies and china 
hollyhocks are in bloom, and the catkins of some 
kinds of willows are formed; in the middle parts, 
the leaves of the Spanish chestnut are yellow, those 
of the weeping-birch are bright red or gold coloured, 
those of the sugar-maple are scarlet, and most of 
those of the ash, and some robinias and horse-chest- 
nuts, are fallen; and in the latter part of the month, 
the leaves of the marsh-elder have a fine pink col- 
our, those of the stag’s horn sumach are purplish red, 
and those of the American oaks have various tints 
of yellow, orange, red, and purple. A tempestuous 
snowy day, accompanied by one or two sharply frosty 
nights in October, sometimes suddenly reduces the 
flower-garden from beauty and brilliance to almost 
utter desolation; but when the whole month main- 
tains its usually mild character, it retains to its very 
end a large proportion of the floral gorgeousness of 
September. Some of the most conspicuous flowers 
which adorn it are, in the shrubbery, passion-flower, 
evergreen cytisus, broom, bramble, althza, honey- 
suckle, roses, arbutus, and laurustinus; and, in the 
parterre, colchicums, cyclamens, goldén-rods, pinks, 
pansies, stocks, sunflowers, china-asters, chrysanthe- 
mums, dahlias, verbenas, French marigold, African 
marigold, anemones, campanulas, nasturtium, Guern- 
sey lily; pentstemon, salvias, fuschias, autumnal cro- 
cus, scabious, carnations, Indian pink, asters, bal- 
sae adonis, lupines, sweet-sultan, and marvel of 
eru. 
In the early part of October, snakes and vipers 
commence their hybernation, and redwings, hooded 
crows, and wood-pigeons arrive ; in the middle parts 
of the month, wild geese remove from the fens to the 
rye-fields, hen-chaffinches flock together preparatory 
to migration, and the snipe makes its appearance in the 
meadows; and in the latter part of the month, rooks 
visit their nest-trees, the tortoise begins to hybernate, 
spiders’ webs abound in the hedges and in the fields, 
the woodcock returns, and some larks are occasion- 
ally heard. ‘‘ The emigration and immigration of the 
feathered race still take place. The hirundines or 
swallow-tribes have departed, and the water-birds 
are flocking hither from other shores. The starlings 
now congregate in multitudes, and do considerable 
mischief in the fenny countries, by settling on and 
breaking the reeds which grow there abundantly. 
Many animals and reptiles and insects now seek their 
winter quarters, and retire, as impelled by their sev- 
eral instincts, to await the return of all- reviving 
spring.” 
The Farm.—Much of the work proper to Septem- 
ber may, by the backwardness of a season, or the 
prevalence of unfavourable harvest weather, be pro- 
longed into October ; and a considerable portion of | 
the work proper to October frequently requires to be 
postponed till November. October weather, when 
understood with practical reference to the condition 
and operations of the farm, is the period of compara- 
tive or tolerable mildness which immediately precedes 
such an inclement transition to rain, snow, or frost, 
as puts an arrest upon most of the labours of the | 
field.—October is commonly the month for hiring 
and stocking farms, or for removing from one farm 
to another; and, on such occasions, a large portion 
of it is necessarily consumed in the toils of stocking 
and removing. This is also the chief time for hiring 
farm-servants; and it demands consideration, not only 
as to the place and act of hiring them, but as to the 
number and the qualifications to be sought. 
October will most probably terminate the pasture 
feeding of all kinds of stock for the year; so that the 
farm-yard ought to be in a state of perfect readiness 
for the winter’s use. At the commencement of the 
month, all cows, steers, and calves may still be at 
grass; but, at some time in the progress of the month, 
when the temperature considerably falls, and the | 
grasses fail to yield sufficient nourishment, they must | 
be taken home to the yard, and variously fed accord- 
ing to their condition and their destiny. Dry cows 
may be fed on cut chaff; milking cows, in another 
yard, on cabbages and chaff; young cattle, on the | 
same fare as milking cows; and fatting beasts, on 
turnips and chaff, or, what is better, on cabbages or 
carrots and chaff. Such cattle as have been soiling 
in the yard or sheds, may now have their food grad- 
ually changed to dry meat, cabbages, or roots. At 
the beginning of the month, ewe and wether hogs 
are still at grass; but towards the end of it, or when 
the pastures cease to afford proper nourishment, they 
must be penned on turnips. All sheep intended to 
be fattened, however, ought to'be already half-fat- 
tened when they are turned on turnips; for if they 
leave the pastures and begin the turnips in a lean 
condition, they will by no means make a profitable 
return for their feeding. Selected rams ought, in the 
early part of the month or not later than about the 
10th, to be turned in among the breeding ewes. 
Horses, according to the practice of some farmers, 
continue throughout much of October, to receive a 
portion of green food, and are not, till towards the 
end of this month, restricted to hay, chaff, and oats. 
Full grown hogs ought now to be put to fatten. 
As soon as cattle are turned into the farm-yard, 
the labours of the barn for the supply of fodder and | 
litter commence ; and these labours are thenceforth 
continued till spring. In the course of October, the 
potato crop must be ploughed up, gathered, and 
stored; and about the end of the month, the carrot 
crop should be dug up and stored. Autumnal tillage 
of all wet or stiff lands ought to be busily prosecuted 
in October, for, in consequence of saturation with 
moisture, it may become impracticable in November; 
but the ploughing of very light sandy soils can be 
performed, during open weather, in any part of win- 
ter. ‘The sowing of wheat ought to be much more 
general in October than in either September or No- 
vember; for it is as suitable on lightish soils in 
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