488 THE GARDENER. [Nov. 



roast tliem along with their meat, and relish them so much that they 

 are credited with the earnest wish that Onions may form one of the 

 dainties of their paradise. This vegetable has been cultivated from a 

 very early period in Britain ; and more than likely it was introduced 

 from Continental countries, into which it had no doubt been brought 

 from the more ancient nations of the East. Onions grown on the 

 Continent are much more mild and pleasant to the palate, but not so 

 good for seasoning, as the smaller productions of this country, which 

 are more pungent in flavour. 



The Onion crop is looked upon as one of first-rate importance in 

 every garden, and the sowing-day ranks as a sort of red-letter day 

 in the garden calendar. Many cultivators have some peculiar way 

 in which the operation is performed ; and in not a few cases a deal of 

 unnecessary work and waste of time are attached to it. Few crops are 

 more affected by soils and situations ; hence in some instances a satis- 

 factory crop can nearly always be calculated upon, while in others the 

 crop is a very precarious one. 



A dry well-worked soil, to the depth of at least 2 feet, has much 

 to do with healthy well-matured bulbs. They send their roots 

 down deep ; and if the staple allows of the ground being worked 

 3 feet deep, so much the better. It is more upon a deep well-worked 

 dry staple than on superfluous doses of manure that a good well- 

 ripened crop of bulbs depends. Such bulbs as are small-necked, 

 firm, and in a condition to store and keep well, are not so likely to 

 result from heavy coatings of manure merely dug into the ground, as 

 from a moderate amount of manure, in a thoroughly decomposed state, 

 deeply and regularly mixed with the whole of the soil. The Onion 

 crop makes a good succession to Celery, or rather the latter leaves the 

 ground in good condition for the Onion crop. The production of good 

 Celery necessitates a thorough breaking-up of the ground ; and the 

 liberal application of manure required for the one, when thoroughly 

 mixed with the ground, is almost enough for the Onion crop. The 

 ground should be trenched across the old Celery trenches, and the 

 manure well broken up and thoroughly mixed with the staple as the 

 operation goes on. The trenching should be performed early enough to 

 allow the ground to benefit from it, which usually occurs in January 

 and February. It is well to ridge the surface or leave it rough, pre- 

 senting a large surface to the action of the atmosphere. The two 

 bottom-spits, on the other hand, should be well broken, and the sub- 

 soil forked up and left in the bottom. 



Situation is a matter of considerable importance — shelter from high 

 winds, and exposure to the sun ; for if the tops get damaged by wind 

 before the perfecting of the bulbs, they do not swell nor ripen properly ; 



