Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-08-27
The Garden in August.

II one desires to measure the ability of a
gardener there is no better time to visit his
garden than in the month of August. Dur
ing this month the crops will show whether
a good selection of varieties has been made,
also if each variety has been fed with the
right kinds of fertilizers, and If the neces-
sary cultivation has been kept up to secure
a vigorous growth of plants The weak
point with many gardeners is in laying aside
the hoe when the plants get large enough to
nearly cover the ground; the idea is alto
gether too prevalent that weeds will do no
harm to the growing crops after they get near
ly grown, but this is a mistake weeds in
garden are injurious at any time, for when
the crops do not entirely cover the ground
the open spaces will bake so as to injure the
crops unless stirred often enough to prevent
the weeds from growing. 1t is only by keep
ing the surface of the soil loose and light that
a vigorous growth of plants is kept up. The
gardener who let's the weeds grow the last
part of summer and the soil bake must be
content with small harvest of the late crops
There are many garden crops, if we'll cared
for, that will furnish q succession of crops
the cucumber ia one of them it can be made
to bear abundant crops by good treatment,
but by neglect it will cease to bear and ripen
its foliage. The bean is another when pick
ed for string beans, by keeping the pods
picked as fast as they grow, the vines may be
made to bear continually for from four to six
weeks. The soil must be frequently stirred
to prevent it becoming hard, as it naturally
will by treading on it to gather the crop
when rains are not frequent watering must be
resorted to, or the vines will cease to grow
and will ripen their leaves In watering it is
best not to shower the vines, but water by
making a shallow ditch each side of the row
and letting the water in. When it is believed
that the ground is thoroughly wet through,
the ditch should be filed up and the ground
all leveled off. In this way row of beans
four rods long may be made TO supply large
family all the string beans they would care to
eat for six weeks. The black wax bean is one
of the best varieties, the pods being white
and very tender even when the beans are
nearly full grown. 1t must not be forgotten
that If a succession of crops is to be kept up
the pods must be kept picked as fast as they
grow, whether they are wanted or not. The
squash vines must be looked after if planted
as late as the 18th or goth of June, as they
should have been, they will not be very likely
to be injured very much by the borers if the
roots be kept well covered with fine earth if
dry 80 much the better this also will prevent
the black bugs from injuring the vines by
eating the bark off around the stalk near the
roots, as they often will if not destroyed when
the vines are small as they should be, by
trapping them under shingles or boards laid
near the hills
The early potatoes should be dug as soon as
full grown, and the land thoroughly cultvat-
ed to kill the weeds and prepare it for some
late crop. German sweet turnips may be set
during the first two weeks of the month and
good crop for winter use obtained if the
plants are of good size. English fiat turnips
may be sown any time before the tenth of the
month, and If the weather be wet enough for
the seed to terminate there will be time to
get full crop. As soon as the peas are full
grown the vines should be pulled up SO as to
clear the ground of Weeds even if the land is
not wanted for late CROP for of all the
crops grown in a garden the pea is the worst
to keep free from weeds somehow the little
weeds hide and wait until the peas begin to
ripen, and then rapidly push their way up,
and they will ripen a wonderful crop of seeds
unless destroyed by clearing the ground. The
parsnip, carrot and onion need close attention
during this month or the weeds will get the
advantage; the parsnip and carrot make their
best growth during August, so it is important
that they should not only be kept clear from
weeds but that the soil should be kept light
and loose, so that it shall not form hard
crust and thus become dry. The strawberry
bed set last spring should be carefully looked
after to the end Of the month both weeds
and grass should be kept out, but in hoeine
care must be taken not to disturb the new
plants that set from runners q careless eul
tivator will often destroy many of the best
plants by dragging them out with his hoe
which he will draw through the runners in
way to pull up all of the new plants. The
raspberry and blackberry plantations should
be kept well cultivated and, when higt
enough, cut back to make the vines hardy az
we'll as stooky but this work should not bt
done too early in the season, or a second
growth will start, which will not be as hardy
as the first. The currant bushes sh ould alsC
be kept we'll cultivated during this month
This will be but slight task if the bushe
have previously been we'll cared for it is no
half the work to keep row of currant bush
es clean during the entire year that it is Il
clean it out twice year and let it go weedl
the rest of the season. If the bushes ar
kept in good condition the leaves will b.
large and will keep a dark green, and tn
fruit will keep on them until September; bu
II the bushes are neglected, so the leaves turl
yellow, or the worms are permitted to eat tn
leaves badly, the fruit will not keep good un
til the first of August There are few crop
grown that are more neglected than the cur
rant, and few that will bear neglect better.
The asparagus bed should not be neglected
though there are few crops grown that wi
bear neglect better during this month bu
because 1t can be neglected is no proof this
1t is best to neglect it. 1t is really easier t
keep the bed clean during the entire yea
than to neglect it in the fall and thus let tn
land get full of new seeds it is much easie
to go through it this month and pull out a
the weeds than it would be to destroy all tn
weeds next year that would come from th
ripened seeds II the weeds were not pulled
and an effort should be made TO find time I
thoroughly clean out the bed.
Ia ali Nla1 kIaNs L l.
to have good garden without keeping it &
well cultivated that the weeds will have n
chance to grow a garden that is permitte
TO become oVerrun with weeds il an unsghtl
object to the owner and all who may haV