CENOTHERA. 



335 



ONIONS. 



viridana work much harm to the leaves, 

 and the grubs of the cockchafer to the 

 roots. Oak-galls and oak-apples are 

 excrescences produced by gall-flies. 



(Enoth'era ( #/. ord. Onagra'cise). 



A genus of most useful and beautiful 

 plants, for beds, borders, edgings, or rock- 



UiNOTHERA LAMAKCKIANA. 



work. All the species are free- flowering, 

 and most of them perennials. The most 

 remarkable of the perennial kinds are 

 CEnothera Lamarckiana, CE. macrocarpa, 

 CE. taraxacifolia alba, CE. macrantha 

 grandiflora, CE. biennis, and CE. prostrala. 

 Most of these, if sown early, flower the 

 first year. Of the annual varieties the 

 best are CE. Druinniondinana, CE. bistorta 

 Vdtckii, and CE. rosea. All succeed in 

 good rich soil, and grow well from seed. 



Oleander. See Nerium. 



One-Shift System. 



When blossom is desired it is better to 

 shift a young plant from a 3 to a 5-inch 

 pot, then to a y-inch pot, and so on, as 

 plants as a rule blossom more freely in 

 a smaller pot than in a larger one. But 

 when a fine specimen is wished for, regard 

 being had rather to growth than bloom, it 

 is better to adopt the one-shift system 



that is to say, to remove the plant at once 

 from a small pot into one of considerable 

 size. 



Onions. 



Preparation of the Soil. A rather strong, 

 deep, and rich loamy soil is most suitable 

 for this crop : where very large bulbs are* 

 desired, soil of this character is indispen- 

 sable. Onions grown in a strong soil are 

 much less liable to be attacked by the fly 

 or maggot than in light, dry, sandy soils. 

 The ground should be heavily dressed with 

 rich well-rotted manure, trenched deeply, 

 and ridged up early in autumn. If the 

 soil is light and sandy, cow manure will be 

 most suitable. 



Time and Mode of Sowing. The main 

 crop should be sown as early as the ground 

 may be in working condition, and whether 

 this occurs in February or early in March, 

 a favourable opportunity for putting in the 

 seed should not be suffered to pass. After 

 levelling down the ridges, if the soil is 

 light, tread the ground regularly and 

 closely over, then rake and well pulverise 

 the surface, making it as fine as possible. 

 Set out the ground in 4 feet beds, with 

 alleys I foot wide be- 

 tween ; dra^y drills 

 inch to i inch deep, 

 6 inches from each 

 alley, and 9 inches 

 apart. Sow the seeds 



thinly and regularly, 

 and cover with the 

 soil displaced in ma- 

 king the drills, or, 

 where this is too 

 lumpy, with other fine 

 soil. A sowing should 

 also be made about 

 the middle of August, to furnish a supply 

 of young onions during winter, and bulbs 

 for use in summer before the main crop is 

 ready. Where small bulbs, such as are 



TYPE OF ONION 

 " GIANT KOCCA." 



