1869.] FAILURE OF THE PEACH CROP. 491 



down with tlie hand to stop further growth, and induce them to ripen. 

 When ready to harvest, which is known by their roots giving way and 

 being easily pulled up, remove them to a sunny place, and lay on a 

 gravel walk or on boards, to be frequently turned, and well sunned 

 and dried for fourteen days. Of course the state of the weather may 

 render this a long process outdoors, and may require that they be re- 

 moved to an open, dry, airy shed ; but it is preferable to have them well 

 sunned if the weather be fine. When thoroughly dry they should be 

 removed to a dry airy loft, or some similar place, to be either laid on 

 shelves or tied up into ropes, which work can be done in wet weather. 

 The cooler and drier they are stored, the longer they keep without 

 rotting or growing. 



In most families. Onions for pickling are in demand, and are best 

 when the size of a small marble. The silver-skinned, sown thickly on 

 very poor hard soil about the end of April, answer this purpose. 

 They should be drawn immediately they are perfectly ripe, and before 

 they begin to mould in the ground, which impairs their quality, or at 

 all events their appearance for pickling. 



To get large Onions to succeed the spring-sown or main crop, the 

 Tripoli, sown about the 12th August, or perhaps a week earlier in late 

 districts, will give good-sized bulbs by the end of May, and continue 

 the supply till the spring-sown ones are a considerable size. Most 

 persons have their favourite sorts for the main crop. Those generally 

 considered best are the Strasburg, James's Long Keeping, and White 

 Globe. There are many other varieties more or less useful, but these 

 three are the most generally acknowledged as desirable for extensive 

 cultivation. James's Long Keeping is probably the best- keeping 

 Onion in cultivation, and is otherwise a fine Onion. 



On soils where the maggot is most troublesome, it is recommended 

 to grow a good proportion of the ground with Potato Onion. This 

 increases itself by the production of young bulbs from the parent. 

 Moderate-sized bulbs, planted in February, are ready for harvesting 

 in July, and sometimes earlier. This is a hardy variety, and resists 

 the attacks of insects better than the common Onion. 



THE PAILURB OF THE PEACH CROP OP 1869. 



The almost universal failure of the Peach crop this season is not by 

 any means easily accounted for ; it may be said to be unprecedented. 

 I am aware that there have been seasons, in particular districts, in 

 which the crop has been equally deficient, but then the loss has been 



