Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-02
Hints for October Work.
Iamerican Agriculturist.l


clear grass land OF buttercups. daisies. and a
mullitUde OF o her biennial ana perennial
weeds
TOP DREsSING--BoDe dust or "tank.ngs." Or
some IeTtllzer IN which the nitrogen Is not In
lhe form OF ammonia, and not soluble Is the
Dest LOT late autumn application TO grass or
IAN IAN. Such manure has some immediate
effect, yet is not washed away ia solution by
heayy rains, but shows It's potency 10 the
spring.
POTATOES The sooner they are dug now the
better. 1t Is best TO keep them a while either
In protected heaps IN the field or on some un.
used floor. They throw OF much moisture
within few days, and win heat II In large
heaPs or 100 deep In the bins. When thor
or In the cellar. Potatoes are Injured at one
Dy frost, and gradually By sunlight or even bg
Gl1uSed light they should, therefore. De SfTl-
from the ngnt as much as possible and decayed
ones carefully culIeI out before they ore mt
away. -
ROOTS are now making their best growth.
Moderately warm days and cold nights seem TO
nave great effect upoa them. AS the time
gels ard sugar beetS. Top by rubbing the
leaves oil, Dot by cutting. as the wound often
starts Decay, which spells the beet. Carrots
secure attention next after the baeis and
turnips next, leaving the Swedish turnips
longest always protect piles OF roots against
ifoet by some covering. TuTnipS will survive
severe freezing, but they are never 50 good for
feeding.
CORN FODDER, by which we mean the stalks
after husking (nCt the leaves of the corn
merely stripped Off, should be bound in
bundles. probably best done with willow withes,
and stocked up so as TO shed rain. Large
stocks. well set and firmly bound may be left In
the field until needed FOR feeding without In
Jury 10 the fodder. In fact, 1t Is often brighter
and better when treated in this way than In
any other. In stacks. or 10 sheds, it Is likely
10 heat and mould, unless IL can be more thor
oughly dried than we can be sure of having it.
FODDER CORR, which, OF course, was cut be
FCgt 0r arsal Of Ire
lost, should be handled much 10 the same way.
AS soon as the stalks are sufficiently DRY, and
the weather SO cool that danger from moulding
is past, put II up In small bundles aud set these
together In large stocks In the field bound Sc
curely at the top.
FLOWING FOR SPRING CROPS.-This may be
done az any time now. where the soil is not
100 light, and not likely TO wash during the
winter. The ground should be left rough To be
subjected 70 the fullest action OF the weather
freezing, thawiDg, Wetting, drying. etc. Should
q crop CT weeds come up 1t will very likely pay
TO harrow and plow again.
RIDGE PLOwING of stiff clayS is often OF great
dement,. Ii Is done by turning the burrows two
and two together. so as to leave the land uni
IOrmIy ridSed. The ridges must run up and
down the slopes; otherwise, in heavy rims
Waterwill be held by the ridges until it breaks
through somewhere, when there VIII be danger
OF a ''WaSh out" This system OF winter falIov-
Ing involves pioWing again in the spring, bat
Shows It's good effects III the crops
NATER--If pure water does not flow at the
barn, look into means Tor securing IL. Barn.
yard wells are convenient but often dang ,rou5
TO the health, If not or animals, certainly OF
men, who may drink at them. Ii the water
from some spring can be led TO the house aud
barn, by all means bring it down-lse plain
iron pipes or enam led OneS-lOt ''galvaniZeI'
pipes Zine Is q slow poison. but not quite 50
bad as lead. a well on higher ground will
often furnish flowing water. conducted by a
siphon, at the level of the buildings. No well
should be dug at a less distance than 800 feet
nom oarn-yard, cesspool, or privy vault
Buildings. month offers the most IA
voraoe time usually for the painting and re-
pair OF farm buildings, and putting them in
order for the winter. A great part OF this
work may be well done during this month by
the farmer and his boys
IMPLEMENTS, put away for the winter. should
be painted or protected In some way from the
action OF the air and moisture. Paint or varniSh
Tor the woodwork, and yarniSh OF two
thirds rosin and one-third mutton tallow Is ex-
cellent for protecting iron and steel.
LIVE SToCK.-A little extra feed brings cattle
and horses 10 the beginning of winter In good
order. The tops OF carrots, beetS, and turn;DS
may be fed to good advantage, and there Is
great deal OF sweetness In the October paStur-
age. Where much corn Is planted, there viii
always be soft ears and ''nuObfnSD which are
best fed to horses and pigs.
SwINE.-Plgs viii fatten nearly as fast on DO
tatoes this month as on corn next They do
best on cooked iced, and the grain ought to be
ground.
SHEEP-This month we speak for March
lambs Half-fed sheep are often run into
market from sections where food Is scarce. and
1t pays well TO secure such to feed for tue
winter, turning them off fat In the spring. Tue
feeder should be satisfied If, by so doing. ne
nure, getting pay for his grain and cash outlay,
and that CLly.
ORCHARD AND NURSERY.
APPLES--The practice Of picking the fruit
ard putting IL In heaps for few days until the
skin toughens, before barrelling, Is good one
Tut the f,uit into the barrel with care shaking
IL down when half full, and again when full 50
that the apples Will ut closely when the head is
pressed IN by means Of the barrelling press
Tie opposite head should be marked as the one
70 De opened. This season OF abundant apples
II i. vii not pay 70 market any except the best
fruit or make 1t into
CIDER.-The best cider is made from late
flpenlng, sound fruit, and in cool weather
NheR the fermentation is gradual. Many
early apples may be worked up into Sweet
Cider and sold as such or made into vinegar.
THIS Is one or the best methods of turning TO
account fruit that would otherwise be lost
NINEGAR-,Ehe essentials for good vinegar
are: good cldet; temperature OF at least 10 de-.
anu as complete exposure 10 the atmosphere as
possible. Tie prOcesS!may be fastened by add.
Ing yeast TO the cider, or mother from Old
vinegar barrels, which amounts to the same
thing- Vinegar making is therefore a sort or
fermentation, facilitated by low microscopic
plant OF the fungus group.
PoNAcE from the cider press is OF no great
value either as food Tor stock or as a manure
10 the land. Pigs viii eat IL 70 some extent. IL
should be pat IN the manure heap as wheu
lett by itself In the open air 1t gives OF a dis.
agreeable OdOr.
FRUIT CELLARS should be In readiness b1t
the fru1t should be kept under sheds etc.
until cold weather comes, being careful 10 re-
move IL 70 the cellar before being exposed 10
severe cold. The fruit cellars should be pro-
Sl0td with yentflatorS so arranged that they
can be readily thrown open
GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW PLANTS
Ihe greenhouse before this SnOud have been
put In readiness, that there may be no DELAY
IN bringing IN the plants when the time comes
SOL, laoelS, moss, pots, and all other needed
articles should De on hand ready for use, and In
SUFFICIENT quantity.
BULBs for Towering IN pots should be rotted
as sOon as obtained; the soil should be ricn
Hlade loose " lin plenty Of clean sand. after
HHiCh Tie pots and plants may be placed In a
roots. VI
WINDOW PLANTs--The necessity OF a gradual
change must De emphasized in removing plants
from the open air to the dwelling rooms is
pest 10 place the plants In room where there
Is no IRE, and one that can be opened during
the day. After while the plants may b
taken TO the close living room, IN which there
Is a fire.
HARDY PLANTS can be forced In window cuI-
ture ana deserve more attention than they
have received. Among these are DicentTTt
lBleeding Heart>. ASfUbe Jdp0Ricd, LILY OF the
Valley. All such should be taken W at once
and p0tted, ard kept In pit or cellar until