Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-08-28
The Vegetable Garden in August.

Although the spring was very back
ward in its approach, yet August brings
US to about the average vegetation OF
past years. With fair attention and
culture, we have enjoyed good crops of
early vegetables, and corn, squashes,
cucumbers, tomatoes and melons are
now in their full vigor. The vines seem
to grow by magic since the refreshing
rains visited them; and although the
drouth injured them all somewhat, yet
their products now promise well
But weeds must not be allowed TO
crush out their fair growth, and a dead
~ war must be waged with the worms
which so sturdily beset the cabbage and
cauliflower beds If only fifty or a hun
dred heads are cultivated, a visit TO them
every morning, armed with a broad
bladed knife, will suffice to crush out
the life from thousands of tiny, crawl
ing green worms before they have awak-
ened to a sense of their position. Thus
crushed, as il were, in the egg, they do
not appear so loathsOme as when they
have assumed larger proportions, and
can be styled worms. Yet their pres
ence does disgust me with the vegetables
they inhabit, and the crispy white heads
of both cauliflowers and cabbages have
lost all relish for my palate since their
advent.
But hand-picking and knife-crushing
will eXterminate these pests, it is said.
And now we are trying another remedy
to one gallon of soapsuds add two
tablespoonfuls of kerosene. Take the
suds from the washtubs, mix in the
coal oil, and apply all over the leaves.
The odor of the oil drives away the
white caterpillar which lays the eggs
from which hatch out the worms that
destroy our hopes of winter salads.
Applications of liquid horse manure
will make your cucumbers, melons and
tomatoes fruit more rapidly, and increase
their growth.
C0rn.-If planted about the first of
August, you may have the pleasure of
gathering its ears in October, especially
if YOU cultivate the ''sixty days corn,
which ripens so early and is so sweet and
succulent. Save one or more hills of
your earliest corn for seed, for that taken
from the first ears which ripen will be
the earliest seed for another year.
stcum6erS-Keep the vines picked
clean, for they VIII continue to blow and
bear fruit much longer than if some are
left to 90 to seed. On one vine, how
ever, leave two or more cucumbers es-
pecially for seed, selecting some Of the
earliest ones.
Ont0ns When their tops droOp and
fall, dig the roots dry them thoroughly
in the sun, and store on the rafters of
| the woodshcd, or in some dry but cool
place. Carbolic soap-suds- pound
of soap to five gallons of water-will kill
/ the onion worm.
Peas.-Pull up the yellow vines, hang
/ on poles and let the seeds ripen well, and
/ YOU can plant another crop in the same
/ spot, and have green peas with your
mutton in October, if you like.
Rasp5eryies. the fruitiDg sea-
son is past, cut down all the old canes,
! and leave only four Of the new growth
/ to each stalk. Do not let the new
canes grow over five feet high, but pinch
out the terminal leaves. If the l.terals
extend beyond foot and half, pinch
them off.
Strawberries. the vines have
done bearing, give the beds a tOp-dress-
ing of thoroughly decayed manure and
ashes mixed together, hoeing it in be
tween the rows. Keep the beds free
from weeds, and cut off all the runners,
unless new plants are desired and to OBJ
tain them, it is best to sink small pots
full of earth near the roots, and guide
the runners into them. When well
rooted, turn out, and plant wherever q
new bed is desired. Country GentSe
man