648 A LLIA CEOUS ESCULENTS. 



seems to be of little use to sow again, as the fresh-sown plants fare no 

 better. In light soils especially, the attacks of this insect are occa- 

 sionally very annoying to the gardener. On stripping off the coats of 

 the young onions which show evident signs of decay, it is at once 

 perceived that it is owing to the attack of a small grub, destitute of 

 legs, upon the vital parts of the bulb or stem of the plants, that the 

 destruction is occasioned. On pulling up a very young onion, its 

 interior is found to be completely devoured by a single grub at its very 

 heart ; but, in plants of larger growth, at least half-a-dozen of these 

 grubs have been counted, varying considerably in size. In the sum- 

 mer season, these grubs are about a fortnight in arriving at their full 

 growth. They generally consume the entire of the interior of the 

 onion, the outside skin of which is alone left dry and entire, serving 

 as a place in which they undergo their transformations, without 

 forming any cocoon. In about another fortnight the perfect fly makes 

 its appearance, the time varying according to the season, from ten to 

 twenty days. To prevent the attacks of this insect, it has been recom- 

 mended to sow after strawberries that have occupied the soil for four 

 or five years, or to strew the surface of the soil with charcoal cinders, 

 such as may be obtained from a wood where charcoal has been made ; 

 or to transplant in preference to sowing, dipping the roots or the bulbs 

 in a puddle, consisting of three parts of earth, and one of soot. The 

 most effective mode with a sown crop, we believe to be that first men- 

 tioned viz., to water with any fetid liquid, such as stale soap-suds 

 mixed with a little stale tobacco-water, from the middle of May till 

 the beginning of July. 



Gathering the Crop. When the neck shrinks and the leaves decay, 

 pull them up and tie in bunches while they are in the hand ; hang up 

 to rafters of shed or store-room to dry gradually ; they will thus keep 

 well, and not get so rank and strong for eating. They keep well hanging 

 in this state for the winter. Others clear off the grosser portions of 

 the leaves, stalks, and roots ; and then spread out the bulbs in an airy 

 loft or cool dry cellar, in which they should be turned over occasionally, 

 and those that begin to decay picked out. Thus treated, onions will 

 keep sound and good, all winter and spring, till May following, except 

 the potato-onion, which with difficulty keeps beyond February. Onions 

 are not injured by frost, unless they are moved when frozen, which, by 

 bruising them, ruptures the tissue, and when a thaw takes place, the 

 bruised part becomes a wound, and the bulbs begin to decay. Onions 

 intended for market are tied by the neck round sticks, by strands of 

 matting, or plaited into straw, and thus form what are called ropes of 

 onions. Onions for the London market are sold by the half-sieve, 

 sieve, or bushel. In other places they are sold by weight by the 

 score or hundredweight, or by the pound. Hanging up these ropes 

 in an open airy shed is a good way of keeping them ; but if they are 

 spread out, or hung up in a close cellar, room, or loft, the temperature 

 must be kept below 40, or they will grow. 



To save seed, select some of the finest specimens and plant them in 

 rich soil early in spring. The seed will ripen in August, when the 



