September 1857

Some persons who write on gardening, content themselves by simply saying that such a thing should be sown in such a month; this gives a latitude, in the present case, of thirty days, so that an inexperienced person may be led to think that he is within due bounds if he sows on the thirtieth of September what ought to have been sown in the first week, perhaps about the first day thereof, whilst experienced gardeners well know that a difference of three or four days, particularly in this month, makes a greater odds, in crops, than most people could imagine would be consequent on the difference of as many weeks.

I am not an advocate for sowing seeds on a particular day of the week or month, nor in the full or wane of the moon, nor when the wind blows from the east, west, or any particular point of the compass; these ridiculous and superstitious notions have been long since deservedly banished out of the well-informed world; but simply mean that, in this month above all others in the year, there is an absolute necessity of sowing certain crops within a few days of particular periods, in order to insure the best possible success.

not become too strong before winter, and consequently be subject to start to seed early ID spring, previously to their attaining du perfection, nor be too woakly to endure the severities of the ensuing winter.

Hoe and clean your advancing crops of spinage, and let the plants be thinned out to proper distances in order to afford sufficient room for the production of large succulent leaves. In the first week of this month prepare some good dry ground for a full crop of spinage for winter and spring use. States, particularly, in the easter this work should not be delayed later, nor, in. deed, in the middle States, if it can be vell avoided; but in a favorable season, and a warm soil and exposure, it may succeed very well in the middle States if own so lato as the fifteenth or even the twentieth of the month; the more to the southward, the later it may be sown.

The best sort to endure cold is the prickly seeded kind, which is what most people sow at this season, it being much hardier than the round seeded sort; of this there are two or three varieties, dif. fering only in the size of their leaves; but the largost and most profitable sort is what gardeners call the burdock spinage. A thin sprinkling of the brown Dutch and hardy green cabbage lottuces may be sown among the spinage, and if the winter is any way favorable you may have some good plants from those to transplant early in epring for heading. A few of the early short-top salmon and white turnip-rooted radishes may also be sown among the spinage for use in October and November.

So the seed thinly in drills about twelve inches distant from one another, or broadcast, and tread it in, then rake the ground effectually so as to cover the seed well; or if it be cultivated on a large scale it may be harrowed in with a light barrow, wrong end foremost. When the plants are up, and have got leaves an inch broad or a Little better, they must be thinned, either by hand or hoe, to three or four inches asunder, and the weeds effectually cleared away from among them; by this treatment the plants will get stalky, gather sirength, and be the better able to stand the winter frosts.

the rarious kinds of lettuces sown last month should be planted i as early in this as they have attained to a proper size for tha purpose; let them be set in beds of good, about ten inches asunder, and watered immediatoly, which should be frequently repoated if the weather proves dry. In the last week of the month prepare a dry, warm, wall sheltered Bouth border, on which to plant the lettuces sown in the latter part of August, for standing over winter for spring use. Take up the best pants from the seed-bed, pick off the decayed leaves, trim the onus of their roots, and plant them in rows six inches asunder every tay i if the plants survive the winter, every other one may be taken up in spring and planted in new beds, which till give the others abundanc of room to grow to the best perfection. during winter as directed in November.

They are to be protecter Sow more lettuce seed in the first week of this month, to plant out in the beginning of October, for the same purpose. The kinds proper to be sown now are the brown Dutch and Hammersmith hardy green. Also, about the middle of the month, sow another crop of the same kinds, to be planted in frames in October, for their winter preservation. To have lettuces in good perfection in Novembor, December, and January, you should, about the latter end of this month, preparo one or more beds of rich earth, in a warm part of the garden, where the ground is dry, and lies well to the sun. Make the bed or beds the length and width of one or more cucumber frames; plant therein some good pet and them water occasionally till well rooted and growing freely Towards the middle of next month, when the nights begin to grow cold, place the frames and glasses on the beds; keop on the glasses every nigut; but let them be kept totally off in the day time fill the November frosts commence; after which you must be go verned by ciroumstances, always admitting as much air every day as the safety and free growth of the plants will warrant.

In the first reek of this month you should sorr a good supply of the enrly short-top, white and red turnip-rooted and salmon radishes; also, a sufficient quantity of the black and white winter, or Spanish kinds; the latter, on the approach of frosts, must be taken up and preserved for winter use, as you do carrots or turnips.

As early in the montl as possible, transplant a full crop of green curled endive for late autumn and winter use; let this be done as directed on pago 460. Tie up the leaves of full grown endive for blanching, as adrised on page 486.

tarta up celery as it advances in growth, but be careful to avoi covering the hearts of the plants: this work should always be don in a dry day; Joy up the stalks neatly without ipjuring them, for it bruised they will become mouldy and be subject to rot If your crops of celery be scanty, and you have got strong planta you may, about the first of this month, plant them out in trenche Should the season prove very favorable, this crop may suoceed toler planta spread considerably, they must be tied up neatly with bass

strings, or willow tiigs, do., but not too close, so that the hearts may or the spado to make it keep its place and cast off the rain: as the whitened and fit for use; on the approach of frost they may be protocted as directed in November for celery, if not made use of before that time.

So corn-salad and winter cresses the beginning of this month, sown as directed on page 488. and covered about a quarter of an inch deep, or broadenst and raked in.

salading as directed in the preceding months. posure.

weeds up clean with a sharp and middle sized hoe.

they are dosigned for remaining in the seed-beds till spring, period is between the fifteenth and twentieth. they are very subject to run out extraordinary care. make a slight hot-bed towards the latter end of that month, and prick them out of the seed-bed thereon; this will forward them considerably. At all events, I would advise, particularly in the middle States, the first sowing to be made about the tenth or before it, the second four days after, and the third on the eighteenth day of this month, or at any rate within two or three days of these periods; for the dif ference occasioned at this time by one or two days will in a few weeks be very perceivable and striking In the eastern States, the first of the month will be a suitable period for sowing a principal crop The kinds proper to be sown now are the early Enfield, early York and early Battersen.

Sow these seeds in beds of good garden mould, and eithor cover or rake them in so that they may be lodged about a quarter of an inch deep; if the weather should prove dry, water the beds occasion. ally in the evening till the plants are up, and in about five weeke they will be fit for transplanting into their winter quarters, as di rected in October.

' The critical period, in the middle States, for sowing coulifove seed, is between the twentieth and twenty-eighth of this month; i sown earlier the plants would be very subject to button (as the gar deners term it) or flower in April or early in May, which flowers sel dom exceed the size of a common button, and thereby the hopes and expectations of the cultivator are lost I would recommend to sow the seed at three different periods, sa the twentieth, twenty-fourth and twenty-eighth of this month; for each sowing let a small spot of rich ground be neatly dug, mark ou the bed three and a half feet wide, and immediately sow the seec and rake it in carefully; or you may first rako the bed smooth, and with the back of the rake push the loose mould evonly off the sur face for near half an inch deep into the alleys, one half to each side then sow the seed, and with a spade or shoval cast this shored of loose earth ovor it about a quarter of an inch deep, or a little more and finish by picking off the lumps or small stones with your hand, or drawing them off neatly and lightly with the rake; or you may sow the seed on the smooth raked surface, and sift over it about o quarter of an inch of light earth.

Should the weather prove dry, water the bed both before and after the plants are up, and in a month after sowing they must be trans. planied into beds of good rich oarth, covored with garden framdy a the distance of three inches from one another, there to remain ing winter, and to be taken care of as directed in the following In the southern States, the most forward of these may be finals planted out in November, as directed on page 329, and covered witl bell or hand-glasses during winter; but in the middle or eastern States this practice will not succeed on account of the severity of the weather at that season. • Te the plants should bappen to be lato and of a weakly growth, then you are planting them into frames in the latter end of Octo her lata tranch be due about ton inches deen in a dea eems and the breadth of a frame and the length of two, or more, according to the quantity of plants; then all it in with new horse-dung to the height of eighteen inches from th bottom, and set on the frame; earth the bed over five or six inches deep with rich earth, and set the plants in rowe three inches apart every way, immediately give them a moderate watering and on the glasses; observing to leave them open about four or five inches at top that the steam may pass away It will also be proper to lay a mat over the glasses in sunny wea ther till the plants have taken fresh root; after which the lights must be totally taken off by day till the weather becomes too severe, and every advantage must subsequently be taken to give the plants as much air as possible, consistent with their preservation.

The plants, with the assistance of this slight bottom heat, will soon take root and be greatly forwarded thereby, so as to acquire a due degree of strength before the setting in of very sovere weather. Note.—Late sown cabbage plants would be greatly benefted by treating them as directed above for cauliflowers.

If the weather should prove dry, give occasional waterings to the crops of late cauliflowers and broccoli which you expect to flower in October, &c., otherwise the hends will be small, especially if the ground is naturally dry.

Sow some Welsh onion seed for early spring salad, &e. This kind never bulbs and is very hardy; for although the tops will sometimes die down in winter, yet the roots will continue sound, and push up. nery leaves on the eve of the first spring vegetation. it will be necessary to sow this seed in the first week of the month on beds of light rich ground, in a warm exposure, and afterwards to keep the rising plunta perfectly free from reeds.

This is a proper time to prepare for making bods, in which to ouivate the Anamove camnese Chamnion or common mushron i two hundred and thirteen species of agaricus, enumerated by Dr * Witering, this is the only one selected for cultivating in gardens. The gills of this are loon, of a pinky red, hanging to liver color, en contact but not united with the stem very thick set, some forked nest tue stem, some next the edze of the cap, some at both ends and zenerally in that nasa avaluding the intermediate amaller mill Cap, white, changing to brown when old, and becomine scurfy, flesho. and regularly convox. but with are flat. and louefring in decay.

[SEM fesh white; diameter commonly from one inch to three or sometime four or more. an inch in diameter. Stem solid, one to three inches high, and about ha i consider the description of this species the more necessary many of the others are poisonous. This is the most savory of th genus, and is eaten fresh, either stewed or boiled; and either as a pickle or in powder The sauce commonly called catchu is made from its juice with salt and spices. Dr. Withoring asser that those gathered from fresh undunged pasturos are more delica ferent opinion, probably because the cultivated ones are more sightl and may be collected more easily in a proper state for eating It will be necessary in the early part of this month to provide quantity of fresh horse-dung, and to throw it up in a heap, out the reuch of rain, to ferment; wben it has lain two or three woek turn it again, that all the parts may be equally dried and fermente and the violent beat passed away.

In this state it should remain t about the first week of October, when the bed is to be made ns c rected in that month, or the preparation may commence in Augu and the beds be made any time this month at pleasure. The reason for the previous preparation of the dung is to preve a too violent fermentation when the bed is made, which would total destroy the spawn; and, moreover, by this management it will Bere a lo temperate warati much longer than if put together wh quite fresh. You must likewise provide a suffoiency of good mushroom spaw this is frequently to be found in rich pasture fields, old mushroo beds, old cucumber beds, dung-bills or dungy composts; but that the true kind from the pastures or old mushroom beds is to be pi ferred; it may also be found where horses are employed under she in turning mills, riding-houses, livery-stable yards, &c.

The spawn is a white fibrous substance, running and spreadi itself in the rich pasture grounds and in lumps of dryish rotten dur and if of the true sort, has, the exact smell of the cultivated kin Take up the earth or dung in which you find it in lumps, obso ing to preserve these entire, and lay them in a dry shady place t wanted; you may cover them with straw or garden mats, for mu wet would totally destroy the spawn. But if the pieces are wet very damp when collected, they must be spread to dry gradual the spawn is seldom, if ever, destroyed by drought, especially ro mixed with earth or dung For the method of making and spawni the bed, &c., see the Küchen Garden for October. * This spawn may be made artificially.

Mix together equal portions horse and cow droppings, and turfy sods; work all into a stiff morta he addition of a little water Form into the shape and size of comm with a layer fresh litter from the stobla. In thras or fone woole it will he fit for u and will keep several years. f eof =i*. or en of by ne th of