Commercial Gardening 



Another pest is the maggot of the Mushroom Fly, a pellucid greenish- 

 white grub from J to J in. long when fully grown. Several of these 

 maggots bore their way from the base of the stalk right through to the 

 cap, and thus destroy the Mushroom. So far no remedy has been devised 

 beyond picking out and burning the injured Mushrooms. The pest no 

 doubt comes in the manure, where the parent has laid the eggs, and these 

 hatch out in the genial warmth of the bed. It may be possible to check 

 the ravages of this maggot by spraying the prepared manure with soft- 

 soap-and-quassia-chip solution a few days before making up into beds. 



In conclusion, it should be thoroughly realized by the prospective 

 Mushroom grower that vigilant superintendence by the employer or re- 

 sponsible foreman is at all times necessary. Without it, Mushroom grow- 

 ing is practically doomed to failure. [P. A. c.] 



21. ONIONS 



The Onion (Allium Cepa) is a hardy biennial bulbous plant, and 

 originally came from central or western Asia. It is thought that the 

 name has been derived from a Jewish city called Onion, which once existed 

 near the Gulf of Suez, and was built by one Onias about 173 B.C. As an 

 article of diet the onion has probably been in use from time immemorial. 

 It is said to have been grown by the Egyptians two thousand years before 

 the Christian Era, and gradually found its way across Europe by way of 

 Greece and Italy. Throughout southern Europe the onion is an important 

 article of food amongst the poorer people. Owing to the warmer climate 

 the bulbs are milder and sweeter in flavour than our own produce. The 

 importations of onions are large, over 5,000,000 cwt. being now landed on 

 our shores between January and the end of July. 



Either cooked or raw, the onion is very nutritious, and easily digested 

 by most healthy folk. Boiling or roasting makes it more acceptable to 

 delicate people, and amongst its other valuable properties is the one that 

 its juice has the reputation of dissolving calculus in the bladder. 



As a British crop the Onion is not extensively grown. According to 

 the Returns of the Board of Agriculture only 4222 ac. are recorded for the 

 crop in Great Britain, while no records appear in the agricultural statistics 

 for Ireland. Bedford seems to be the largest Onion-growing county in the 

 kingdom, having 1000 ac.; Essex has 569 ac., Kent 356 ac., and Worcester 

 222 ac. Scotland has 191 ac., and Wales 29 ac. Although the British 

 climate cannot compete with that of southern Europe for warmth and 

 sunshine, there is no reason why the most favoured parts of England and 

 Ireland should not make more of the Onion-growing industry. As may 

 be seen from the ash analysis at p. 109, Vol. I, the Onion takes large sup- 

 plies of potash from the soil, and also, but in smaller proportions, phos- 

 phoric acid, lime, sulphuric acid, and soda. The average market-garden 

 crop is from 12 to 15 tons per acre. An average Onion, as sold in the 

 market, weighs about 8 oz., and has a circumference of 10 in. in the widest 



