454 VILLA GARDENING part v 



perches in extent. The quantity can be increased or diminished to 

 suit differently-sized lAots. After the ridges are forked down, 

 towards the middle of January, the mixture should be spread over 

 the surfiice and lightly forked in, and the land left exposed to the 

 benefits of the weather till it is convenient to plant. To obtain 

 very fine Onions the jjlants should have room. It is true that I 

 have seen good Onions grown where scarcely any thinning had been 

 done, and some people might infer from this that thinning was 

 rather a disadvantage than otherwise. But a lengthened experi- 

 ence tells us that thinning spring Onions to 3 or 4 inches apart on 

 the bed, and allowing such large winter kinds as Giant Rocco 6 

 inches of space, is a requisite of good cidture. If the surface is 

 dry it can scarcely be made too firm either for sowing or planting. 

 The roots must all be covered, but the stem should not be buried 

 too deep in the soil. 



Sowing the Spring Onions. — In the preparation of the 

 ground the same thoroughness is necessary as was recommended 

 for the transplanted winter crop, and the di-essing of salt, soot, and 

 lime during the winter preparation should not be omitted, as it has 

 great value in clearing the land from fungus spores and the chrysalis 

 of the Onion -fly. It is not wLse to lay down any special rules 

 about the time to sow, as it is more important to get the land into 

 the right condition than to sow on any particular day. At the 

 same time, there shoidd be no unnecessary delay after the first 

 week in March, as the season of growth is a short one, and unless 

 they are started as early as can be done Avith safety the bulbs must 

 be small, for the growth will cease when the hot weather comes 

 in August, if not sooner. In unfavoiu-able situations the seeds 

 may be successfully sown as late as the end of March. The best 

 way is to draw drills from 9 to 12 inches apart and half-an-inch 

 deep, scattering the seeds evenly and not too thickly along the 

 drills, covering afterwards with the feet and treading-in. In 

 difiicult situations and seasons I have covered the seeds with the 

 compost saved from the clearing up of the rubbish heap, including 

 ashes and burnt earth, which form a part of the heap. I always 

 save the best of this material for covering seeds. It is passed 

 through a sieve, to take out stones and the remains of sticks, etc., 

 and is excellent for covering Onions, Carrots, Parsnips, and Turnips 

 in a difficult time. 



Thinning the Crop. — This should be done as soon as the 

 plants are large enough, and they can be drawn out easily without 

 loosening those intended to remain for the crop. It is not advis- 

 able to have the plants too thick on the ground, yet there should 

 be a power of selection to make the most of the land, for if we 



