Part 18 (1/2)

==OCTOBER==

Weeds and falling leaves are the plagues of the season. It may seem that they do no harm, but a.s.suredly they are directly injurious to every crop upon the ground, for they encourage damp and dirt by preventing a free circulation of air amongst the crops, and the access of suns.h.i.+ne to the land. Keep all clean and tidy, even to the removal of the lower leaves of Cabbages, where they lie half decayed upon the ground.

The heavy rains of this month interfere in a material degree with outdoor work, and are often a great impediment to the orderly management that should prevail. The acc.u.mulation of rubbish anywhere, even if out of sight, is to be deplored as an evil altogether. The injury to vegetation is as great as that inflicted on our own health when dirt poisons the air and damp hastens the general dissolution. It is therefore above all things necessary to keep the garden clean from end to end. All decaying refuse that can be put into trenches should be got out of sight as soon as possible, to rot harmlessly instead of infecting the air, and leaves should be often swept up into heaps, in which form they cease to be injurious, although, when spread upon the ground and trodden under foot, they are breeders of mischief. If in want of work, ply the hoe amongst all kinds of crops, taking care not to break or bruise healthy leaves, or to disturb the roots of any plant. Dig vacant plots, and lay the land up in ridges in the roughest manner possible.

Heavy land may be manured now with advantage, but it is not desirable to manure light land until spring.

==Cabbages== to be planted out as advised last month.

==Cardoon.==--Blanching must be continued.

==Carrots.==--Lift the roots and store in sand.

==Cauliflowers== to be prepared for the winter.

==Celeriac.==--Part of the crop should be lifted and stored in sand; the plants left in the ground to be protected by earthing over.

==Celery== must be earthed up, and protecting material got ready to a.s.sure its safety during frost.

==Chicory.==--Raise about a dozen plants at a time as required, cut or wrench off the foliage, and pack the roots, crown upwards, in boxes with moist leaf-mould or soil. They must be stored in absolute darkness in some cellar or Mushroom-house which is safe from frost, but a forcing temperature is detrimental to the flavour. Gathering may commence about three weeks after storing. The yield is abundant, and is of especial value for salading through the autumn and winter months.

==Endive== to be blanched for use as it acquires full size, but not before, as the blanching makes an end of growth.

==Lettuce.==--Continue to plant as before advised, and make a final sowing in frames not later than the middle of the month.

==Parsnips== may be dug all the winter as wanted. Although a slight frost will not injure them when left in the ground, protection by rough litter is needful in very severe weather. It often happens that they grow freely soon after the turn of the year, and then become worthless.

==Potatoes== to be taken up and stored with all possible speed.

==Rhubarb== for forcing should be taken up and laid aside in a dry, cool place, exposed to the weather. This gives the roots a check, and const.i.tutes a kind of winter, which in some degree prepares them for the forcing pit.

==Roots==, such as Beet, Salsify, and Turnip, to be taken up as soon as possible, and stored for the winter.

==Winter Greens== may still be transplanted, and it is often better to use up the remainder of the seed-beds than to let the plants stand. In the event of a severe winter, these late-planted Greens may not be of much value; but in a mild growing winter they will make some progress, and may prove very useful in the spring.

==NOVEMBER==

The remarks already made on the necessity for tidiness and the quick disposal of all decaying refuse apply as forcibly to this month as to October. The leaves are falling, the atmosphere is moist, and there should be the utmost care taken not to make things worse by scatterings of vegetable rubbish. Now we are in the 'dull days before Christmas' the affairs of the garden may be reviewed in detail, and this is the best period for such a review. Sorts that have done well or ill, wants that have been felt, mistakes that have been made, are fresh in one's memory, and in ordering seeds, roots, plants, &c., for next season's work, experience and observation can be recorded with a view to future benefit. Consistently with the revision of plans by the fireside, revise the work out of doors. Begin to prepare for next year's crops by trenching, manuring, planting, and collecting stuff to burn in a 'smother.' Land dug now for spring seeds and roots, and kept quite rough, will only require to be levelled down and raked over when spring comes to be ready for seed, and will produce better crops than if prepared in a hurry. Protecting material for all the needs of the season must be in readiness, in view of the fact that a few nights of hard frost may destroy Lettuces, Endives, Celery, and Cauliflowers worth many pounds, which a few s.h.i.+llings'-worth of labour and litter would have saved. Earthwork can generally be pushed on, and it is good practice to get all road-mending and the breaking up of new ground completed before the year runs out, because of the hindrance that may result from frost, and the inevitable pressure of other work at the turn of the spring. The weather is an important matter; but often the month of November is favourable to outdoor work, and labour can then be found more readily than at most other seasons.

==Artichokes, Globe==, must be protected ere frost attacks them. Cut off the stems and large leaves to within a foot of the ground; then heap up along each side of the rows a lot of dry litter consisting of straw, pea haulm, or leaves, taking care in so doing to leave free access to light and air. The hearts must not be covered, or decay will follow.

==Artichokes, Jerusalem==, may be dug as wanted, but some should be lifted and stored in sand for use during frosts.