ONIONS 173 



twisting off the tops, called topping, may be left until the 

 onions are marketed; but they will be found to keep much 

 better if "topped," since if the tops are left on they prevent 

 a free circulation of the air through the bulbs. 



"Scallions" or "Thick Necks." Sometimes, too, the 

 tops of the plants do not die down as they should, but re- 

 main green and continue to grow after the bulbs are well 

 formed, becoming what are called "scallions" or "thick 

 necks." This is generally due to the planting of poorly 

 selected seed, but sometimes it is not to be accounted for. 

 In such cases it is generally recommended to break the tops 

 down, which certainly does no harm, but is of doubtful 

 value". A better way is to pull such plants as soon as they 

 begin to grow vigorously after once having formed good 

 bulbs, dry them as much as possible, and remove the tops. 

 Such onions do not generally keep well, however, and had 

 better be used during autumn and early winter. 



Keeping Onions. Onions should be kept in a dry, cool 

 place. In a damp cellar they will sprout and grow, no 

 matter if the temperature there is near the freezing point. 

 They will stand quite a little frost without much injury, but 

 if frozen and thawed several times they become soft and do 

 not keep well, but start to grow quickly. The best place 

 to keep onions is in a cold, dry room in slatted bins or on 

 shelves so arranged that the air can circulate through them. 

 A very practical plan is to put them in barrels without heads, 

 having holes in the bottom and sides, and pile these on top 

 of one another two tiers high, first putting down scantling or 

 other material to allow the air to circulate under and 

 around them. 



If our common onions are frozen solid in the autumn 

 and kept so all winter, they will generally come out right in 

 the spring. A good way to do this is to lay them eighteen 



