The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-10-18
farm aud Garden.
Reasonable Hints.


for winter storage into safety.
BeetS and Carrots lose much of their
sweetness and flavor, if not also their
keeping quality, when exposed to freez,
ing, and should, therefore, be harvested
before heavy frosts threaten.
ParsmipS and Satisfy are not injured
by frost, yet light covering OF some
mulch will prove beneficial during severe
winters, especially when the ground is
not covered with snow. A sufficient
quantity of roots for winter use should
be dug and stored in a cool cellar be-
fore the ground freezes permanently.
Tomatoes may easily be protected from
early frosts, which generally occur at the
beginning of this month, by covering the
bushes with sheets or straw during cold
nights. After the cold snap is over they
will continue to bear for two or three
weeks longer. 1t is also good plan to
pull out few plants and hang them up
In a cellar the Tomato season may thus
be prolonged considerably Last autumn
we dug up bush carefully, so as to re-
tain as many roots and injure the vines
as little as possible, and planted it in the
ground of a cold green house, where it
was watered occasionally. At first it
wilted considerably, but revived some
what after few days, and ripened its
fruit for more than month
Lima Beans, almost as good as fresh,
may be had all winter, by drying them
before ripe and before being touched by
frost. The dried, green beans are far
superior to ripe white ones They should
be gathered and shelled when nearly full
grown, and before they turn white,
spread upon paper or sheets in warm,
dry, airy place, but not where they are
exposed to the direct midday sun. If
turned frequently, they will, in few
days, become dry enough for putting
away for winter.
Asparagus may be planted now as
well as in spring, and on dry ground,
fall planting, if carefully done, is to be
preferred. On heavy or wet soils, how
ever, spring planting is safer. Asparagus
needs rich soil for its best development,
but to plant it on a bed of manure, as is
not unfrequently done, is a sure way of
killing it; nor should the newly set roots
be covered with fresh horse-manure.
Leaves, straw, or cornstalks make suita-
bic mulch.
CeJery-The main stock for wintering
should now be hilled up lightly, but only
as much as may be wanted for early use
should be banked up sufficiently for
bleaching. The most frequent cause Of
Celery not keeping through winter is
banking it up too early. Care must be
taken not to let soil come between the
stalks, nor to handle them while they
are wet.
Rhu6arb may be divided and planted
now The ground should be rich and
light, and to obtain satisfactory results
the plants must not be planted nearer
together than three feet. Old clumps do
not produce as fine stalks as Young
plants; the roots should, therefore; be
taken up every three or four years,
divided, and re-planted.
Season for Pzantinq.- Throughout all
but our most Northern States, and in
localities where the ground is wet and
cold, October is the most favorable month
for planting hardy trees of all kinds
The condition Of the soil, the comparative
ease and the thorogghnesg with which
the work may be done, the important
gain In time during the following spring,
and the condition Of the trees themselves,
all are IN favor Of planting at this season.
Yet the tendency to put off for to-mor-
row what can be done to-day is so OBJ
durately settled in the human mind that
probably not one-tenth of the trees set
out annually are planted in autumn.
Planting TreeS.-A serious mistake
frequently made, especially in small
places Is the planting of trees on the
same spots where others died. Rotation
IN trees Is as necessary as in other crops.
The detunct tree has taken from the soil
large amount of the same nourisbino
material which the newly planted one
requires, and which cannot readily and
completely be restored by artificial fer.
tllizers. Besides, the fact that a tree
died there, if otherwise than from old
age, suggests the suspicion that there
may be something at fault or unfavora-
ole to tree growth in the condition of the
ground on that particular spot.
'StTo106erTleS may still be planted at
any time during this month, but the
longer the work is delayed the more care
has to be given to the preparation of the
soil, as well as to the setting out of the
plants themselves. To set out poor
plants is an Improbable business at anv
TIME, but at this season Of the year it be-
comes worse than useless. If qood potted
plants can be obtainedithat is. such AZ
a L.