THE ONION. 133 



depth : skin loose, of a pale-brown or yellowish- WHITK SPANISH. 



WHITE READING. 



brown, falling off spontaneously, and exhibiting CAMBKI1>GK - 

 the next coating, which is greenish-white. It has a small 

 neck, and is particularly mild-flavored. One of the best for 

 early winter use, but early decays. 



Quite distinct from the White Portugal of the New- 

 England markets. 



One of the oldest varieties, and, as a market Yellow 



Onion, 

 onion, probably better known and more generally SILVER-SKIN OF 



J NEW ENGLAND. 



cultivated in this country than any other sort. 

 The true Yellow Onion has a flattened form and a small neck. 

 Its size is rather above medium, meas- 

 uring, when well grown, from three 

 inches to three inches and a half in diam- 

 eter, and from two inches to two inches 

 and a half in depth. Skin yellowish- 

 brown, or copper-yellow, becoming Yeiiow onion, 

 somewhat deeper by age, or if exposed long to the sun ; 

 flesh white, fine-grained, comparatively mild, sugary, and 

 well flavored. It keeps well, and is very prolific : few of the 

 plants, in good soils and seasons, fail to produce good-sized 

 and well-ripened bulbs. For the vegetable garden, as well 

 as for field culture, it may be considered a standard sort. 



The Danvers Onion, which is but a sub-variety of the 

 common Yellow, may prove somewhat more profitable for 

 extensive cultivation, on account of its globular form ; but 

 neither in its flavor nor in its keeping properties can it be 

 said to possess any superiority over the last named. 



The term " Silver-skin," by which this onion is very gen- 

 erally though erroneously known throughout New England, 

 has created great confusion between seedsmen and dealers. 

 Much perplexity might be avoided if its application to the 

 Yellow Onion were entirely abandoned. The genuine Silver- 

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