186 FRENCH MARKET-GARDENING 



Paris, the plants are liable to run to seed instead of 

 developing bulbs. The soil should be deeply dug and 

 well prepared, and the seeds should be sown fairly 

 thickly, after the soil has been pressed down with the 

 feet, especially if inclined to be " light " or gritty. 

 A good watering should be given after the seeds have 

 been worked into the soil with the rake, and a light 

 covering of mould has been spread over the surface 

 of the seed-bed. This will hasten germination. As 

 dry weather often prevails at this period, the seed-bed 

 should be watered frequently if necessary, as the 

 sprouting seeds would be fatally injured by a spell 

 of drought. 



In September or early in October the young plants 

 will be ready for pricking out of the seed-bed into 

 beds of fine rich and gritty soil. The plants are 

 lifted by passing a spade horizontally beneath the 

 roots, so that these may not be injured. The best 

 seedlings are then selected one by one, and the inferior 

 ones are thrown away. A small bunch is made so 

 that the baby bulbs are all level. Then the roots are 

 cut back within half an inch or so of the bulbs, and the 

 leaves also are cut back leaving only 2 or 3 in. 

 the whole plant after shortening being only about 

 4 in. altogether from one extremity to the other. 

 Onions treated in this way are carefully placed in a 

 basket with the bulbs lying the same way. When as 

 many plants as are required for one day's planting 

 have been thus prepared, the basket containing them 

 is immersed in water, so that the injured plants may 

 be freshened up somewhat. The Parisian gardeners 

 carry out this practice with all the plants during hot 

 weather, even if it happens to rain. If by chance it 



