646 ALLIACEOUS ESCULENTS. 



this rich feeding ground, and copiously watered with sewage or liquid- 

 manure, and thus swell out to a great size. 



An autumn and winter crop of onions, for being drawn as wanted 

 for salads and soups, or to stand for an early crop the next summer, 

 is procured by sowing the Strasburgh or Tripoli about the middle 

 of August or beginning of September. These will be fit for use by 

 Michaelmas, and will afford supplies through the winter, and in early 

 spring till the March-sown crop for drawing comes into use ; or till 

 thinnings can be obtained from the main crop. Formerly the Welsh 

 onion was sown to stand through the winter for a spring crop, but as 

 it does not bulb, and is rather stronger than the common onion, it is 

 now but little cultivated ; being much hardier, however, it answers 

 well for cold late situations. Any of the varieties of Tripoli, such as 

 the Globe, Eed Italian, and Giant Rocca, are good for standing 

 through the winter and producing an early crop the following 

 summer. 



A transplanted crop is, by many gardeners, preferred to a sown one. 

 The seed is sown quite thick in the last week of August, or first week 

 of September, and transplanted into rows, the ordinary kinds nine 

 inches wide, and six inches or eight inches apart in the row, and 

 the larger kinds at double these distances, in the following March ; 

 the greatest care being taken to keep the whole of the bulb above 

 ground, and only to fix the fibres in the soil. Onions thus treated 

 attain a large size, and produce a uniform crop, without the trouble 

 of thinning, some weeks before a crop sown in March ; the only draAV- 

 back is that the plants sometimes run to flower. Some persons, 

 instead of leaving the onions in the seed-bed through the winter, sow 

 in June, or even in April, if the soil is very poor, quite thick, take up 

 the bulbs in September, dry them, and hang them in bags till the 

 February following, when they are transplanted, by pressing them 

 down with the finger and thumb, at regular distances, in rows. As 

 the object is to prevent the bulb from being earthed up, the ground 

 should be previously trodden or rolled, at least along the line where 

 the plants are to be placed. The shorter the time these onions have 

 been in the ground the preceding year the less likely will they be to 

 run to flower. Another mode of obtaining a transplanted crop, is by 

 sowing in February on a slight hotbed, or merely under glass, and 

 transplanting into rows in April. Very large onions are often grown 

 in this manner. 



The potato-onion may be planted in February, in shallow drills 

 one foot apart and six inches distant in the row, leaving the point of 

 every bulb exposed, and pressing its lower end firmly to the soil. In 

 Devonshire, where this onion is grown extensively, it is slightly earthed 

 up during summer in the manner of potatoes. It is a common saying 

 there, that it should be planted in the shortest day, and taken" up in 

 the longest ; which being fully two months before the common onion- 

 is taken up, it is evident that the potato-onion does not keep so long 

 as that variety. To prevent this onion from mildew and rot, keep the 

 earth pulled away from the bulbs, exposing them to sun and air ; they 



