NAMES OF THE MONTHS.

117

November, and December, were considered, as their names signify in Latin, the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth months.

"Come, my boy, we must set to work, and prepare yonder bed for the purpose of sowing some winter spinach for our early spring crop. That bed, I mean, under the south wall; it is a good piece of soil, and lies dry and well for the winter sun. Now, you shall do all this yourself; so dig it up in your neatest manner, and next week you shall sow the seed. Scatter it thinly over the surface, then tread it in, and, lastly, rake it over lightly. If we have good fortune with the seed, we shall have a fine crop of spinach for our dinners of early lamb, and many a good supper of it with poached eggs. I will now give you full directions for managing this spinach bed, in order that I may prove whether you bear in mind what I tell you. So, remember that you get the prickly-seeded spinach for the winter crop, because the plants are more hardy. Then, do not forget, when the plants have come up about an inch above the ground, to weed the bed, at the same time thinning it, leaving a space of about four inches between each plant of spinach. While you are performing this task, I will be preparing two beds for sowing cabbage seed for our next summer and autumn supply; and then I will prepare and manure that piece of ground for transplanting some of the young broccoli plants, which will be coming into perfection next spring with the lamb and spinach. I shall plant them about two feet asunder, and you must remind me to water them now and then, if the weather continue dry. I must also hoe up the earth round the stems of those which we planted out last month. After this job, I shall transplant some of those savoys, at the same dis

118

LABORS OF AUGUST.

tance from each other, and I expect many a fine dish from them, all through November, December, and January.

"The next thing will be to prepare a bed or two for onions, to come in with our spring salads, and some carrots. As you and your brothers and sisters are fond of radishes and small salad, you may prepare a small bed for each. They will be ready for cropping by the time you have consumed the last stock. And do not forget to remind me, towards the end of the month, that I sow some cauliflower seed for our spring supply."

In the course of the present month, both father and son did not omit to clear the young asparagus plants from weeds, and to transplant more celery from the seed beds into trenches: also to keep carefully earthed up those which they had planted out a month or two previously, and which were growing. They were also careful in watering regularly, while the weather was dry, those young plants which they had last trenched. In the course of their employment, too, they examined every now and then the artichokes; and as the fruit began to fill, they cut off all the small heads that grew upon the suckers, in order that the whole vigor of the plant might be reserved for the principal fruit. And as these reached their full size, and were fit for the table, they broke the stems down to the ground, after cutting the produce. Then they planted out lettuces from the seed beds, and endive upon well-dug ground, setting the roots about a foot apart; first trimming the lower ends and the leaves. Those which had been put out last month, and had grown to a full size, they tied up closely with bass, in order that their inner leaves might become white and fit for salads.

"Papa," said Adam, "why are the insides of the endive plants white after they have been tied up?" "Because," said his father," they are deprived of the benefit of the light of the sun, which is absolutely necessary for giving to them the green tinge which they acquire when growing in a natural state. Have you not observed that the stalks of potatoes, and of other vegetables immediately under the surface of the ground, are always white; and that the parts of the same stem above the ground are green: that is, when they are growing in the open air? To show you that this effect must arise from the action of the sun's rays, you must remember to have noticed the long stalks from potatoes that we have found growing in the cellar where no light could come to them. 'They were always perfectly white, and the leaves were paler than . the lightest straw-color. All plants become pale and feeble when shut up for a length of time in dark rooms. So earnestly, too, do they seem to desire the light, that potatoes and other vegetables with long stems, when laid in a dark corner of a cellar in which there is a small window at a distance, will uniformly stretch out and grow towards the light; and as soon as they reach it, the portion presented to the light will become green, while all the remainder of the stalk that is still in darkness will continue white. I cannot tell you why the light should make them green, any more than I can explain to you why one flower should always be red, another blue, and another yellow. A-reason can, of course, be given for it, as a reason could be given for every thing that happens in nature; nothing takes place without a cause, and this cause was ordered by the same infinitely wise Being that created the plant. Some chemical philosophers have, with great ingenuity, ac

counted for the different colors in flowers and plants and when you are a few years older, you will do wel to make yourself acquainted with their clever reason ings; at your present age it would be impossible make you comprehend them.

"In the course of your other engagements, Adam do not forget your weeding. Your hoe and your fin gers must both be busily employed throughout this month. The young weeds must be cleared from the beds of young plants, and the old ones must be cut down before their seed ripens; since the wind would then scatter it all over the garden, and your labor next year would be greatly increased.

"While you are so employed, too, look round, and observe what annuals have ripened into seed; then cut them off carefully, and lay them upon a sheet under the shed in the sun. As soon as they have become thoroughly dry and hard, we will employ some evening in rubbing them out, and packing them away in parcels. We will also sow some corn-salad for our winter and early spring dinners.

"Every evening, so long as the weather, continues dry, you may give each of the cucumber plants some water, and our crop will in consequence be the more abundant.

"I am not sure that I shall sow any more turnips this year; but I must make up my mind before the middle of this month, or it will be too late. You, however, may hoe that bed by the medlar tree, where those young ones are; and thin out the smallest plants for the cow, leaving the larger ones at about six inches' distance from each other."

One day, while they were at work, they noticed how much they were troubled by wasps: at his father's de

DRESSING OF VINES.

121

sire, therefore, Adam filled some phials about half full of treacle and water, and hung them in various quarters of the garden, upon branches of the wall trees. The quickness with which these little creatures discover any sweet provision (of which they are very fond) is truly surprising. It is worthy of remark, that at dinner, during the fruit season, wasps rarely intrude at table till the pies are opened; when, in the course of two or three minutes, they will be found to have made their way into the room and become a part of the guests, though uninvited and unwelcome. Their scent is as keen as that of a blood-hound.

"See if there be any manure-water, Adam," said his father; "if we have none, get the two-gallon wateringpots; dip some of the soft pond-water and put a good handful of salt into each; and then give it to those vines against the house: in the mean time I will be removing the young shoots upon them, above the fruit. And after that I will trim and dispose the peach and nectarine trees. Remember, also, with your hoe and rake, to clear and remove the weeds from the fruit-borders. A neat appearance is not the only benefit that will be derived from this step; but the fruit itself will be more quickly ripened, and its flavor improved, by the rays of the sun being reflected from the smooth surface of the ground."

They also from time to time attended to their flowergarden; watering the annuals regularly, and putting sticks to support those which required them. They cut down also the stalks of those perennials that had done blowing, and at the same time loosened the earth at the top of the roots, removing some of it and replacing it with new mould. They likewise propagated many others by dividing the roots; such as the