ONIOK CULTURE. 133 



When the temperature sinks to 20° it is well to fill in 

 the space with straw, to stop the circulation of the cold 

 air. They can be put in bins of tliis structure, from 

 two to three feet deep. It is well to cover them over 

 with hay or cornstalks sufficiently to protect them. If 

 they should freeze, allow tliem to remain covered until 

 completely thawed. Alwa3^s handle them as carefully 

 as apples, as even slight bruises cause them to mold 

 or rot. 



If there be no convenient structure suitable for the 

 winter storage of onions in large quantity, one may be 

 erected somewhat after the following plan : If to store 

 twenty-five hundred bushels, erect a building twenty by 

 thirty feet, with sixteen foot posts. It should stand the 

 longest way north and south, with doors twelve feet 

 wide, and high at each end. It should stand one foot 

 from the ground, to admit of free circulation beneath, 

 and be sided with matched boards lined with tarred 

 paper. The floor should l^e of two-inch plank laid loose, 

 and well supported. On this floor place blocks five feet 

 apart, about five inches square, and twenty inches high; 

 cover the floor with onions to the top of the blocks ; 

 place on these blocks timbers as large as three by four, 

 and on these narrow boards for flooring one inch apart. 

 On this floor place blocks, the same as before ; fill in 

 with onions, and so on as high as convenient. The 

 blocks should be placed exactly over each other, as there 

 will be a great weight on the lower boards. During the 

 fall, when the weather is dry, open the doors at each 

 end ; this will give the air free circulation through them. 

 They will bear the .temperature down to twenty-five 

 without injury. On the approach of cold weather, bank 

 up the sides of the building to keep the frost from get- 

 ting under. On warm, clear days, open the south doors. 

 AVhen it is desired to take out the onions commence at 

 the south doors, by taking out the floor boards, and let 



