FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 269 



will answer. The rich black earths, and mucky grounds, of 

 the more northerly and westerly parts of this State, are 

 good for this root. 



We have seen it successfully cultivated in light, black, 

 swampy grounds, when laid sufficiently dry by small open 

 ditches, about three rods apart. 



In the parts of this State which we have just mentioned, 

 the onion affords very productive crops; and a great pro- 

 portion of the soil may be fited for its culture. From iour 

 to six hundred bushels of this root may be raised to the 

 acre. 



The ground selected for this culture should be perfectly 

 clear of stones; and, if it contain seeds of weeds, these 

 should be first eradicated by an effectual Summer-fallowing. 

 The ploughings, however, for preparing the land, in the 

 first instance, need not be deeper than perhaps about three 

 inches. 



If the ground be suitably mellow, any further ploughings, 

 lor succeeding crops, will be unnecessary; all that will be 

 found requisite will be, to remellow the ground as deeply, 

 and effectually, as it can be done by a heavy fr on toothed 

 harrow, having the teeth well pointed, and turning forward, 

 so as to run about two inches deep. 



But, where the soil is not naturally of the mellow kind, it 

 will probably be found best to give the ground one even 

 shallow ploughing, and then to make it perfectly fine with 

 the harrow, as before mentioned. 



Whatever manure is applied, should be very finely roted, 

 clear of the seeds of weeds, and should be well mixed with 

 the surface of the soil, by the harrowings. 



After the surface hus been finely pulverised with the 

 harrow, the ground should be rolled, and then it will be fit 

 for the reception of the seed, The sowing should be as 

 early as the ground can be completely prepared. 



The common method of commiting the seeds to the 

 earth is pretty well understood ; but this is a tedious opera- 

 tion. The seeds should be drilled in, in rows about ten or 

 twelve inches apart, by a small hand-dnllplough, made for 

 the purpose, as described under DRILL-HUSBANDRY. 



This machine may be made to drill in two rows at once, 

 which would enable one Hand to go over, perhaps, two or 

 three acres in a day. The seeds should be drilled in pretty 

 thickly, for fear they may not all vegetate, and covered 

 about half an inch deep. If the growing plants are found to 

 stand too thick, they must be thined by hand, when the first 

 weeding commences. 



This is the most laborious operation in the whole process 

 of raising this root, as well as some others; but here we 



