312 FIELD 'AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



regularly to the center, tops to the outside, the rows a few inches 

 apart at the bottom of the rick but coming together at the top, and 

 the top of the rick covered by straw or boards to shed the rain. As 

 the tops are removed the bulbs are generally placed in crates for 

 drying. In some sections onion-topping machines are employed, 

 the bulbs being hauled from the field to a central location and run 

 through the topper. These machines remove the tops, grade the 

 bulbs, and deliver them into the crates or bags. If crates are not 

 employed for curing, the bulbs are allowed to lie in the windrows 

 for some time, and are then either put into sacks or hauled to slat 

 cribs, where they complete the curing process. Too long exposure 

 to hot sunshine will injure the bulbs. Where the bulbs are 

 extremely dry at the time of their removal from the soil, they may 

 be allowed to lie in the windrows for a few days only, and then sorted 

 and cleaned in the field ready for packing and marketing. 



Storage. In order that onions should keep well when stored 

 they must be well ripened and thoroughly cured. Those that are 

 immature, soft, or "thick necks" should never be placed in storage 

 but sold as soon as gathered for whatever price they will bring. 

 Good storage onions will rattle almost like blocks of wood when 

 poured from one crate to another. In order that the bulbs may 

 remain bright and of attractive appearance they should not be 

 allowed to lie exposed to the weather, but should be hauled and stored 

 in open sheds just as soon as they may safely be placed in one-bushel 

 crates. After the bulbs have remained in drying sheds or cribs for 

 several weeks they will be ready for screening and removal to the 

 storehouse. In handling onions it is the rule to pass them over a 

 screen each time they are moved, as in this way the loose skins are 

 removed and any soft or decaying bulbs may be sorted out. The 

 essentials for the successful storage of onions are plenty of ventila- 

 tion, storing in small quantities, a comparatively low temperature, 

 dryness, and safety from actual freezing. Any building wherein the 

 above conditions may be secured will answer. 



Marketing. Large quantities of onions are sold and shipped 

 direct from the fields where they are grown. A part of the crop is 

 held in temporary storage until late autumn or early winter. 

 During recent years the winter storage of onions has become of great 

 importance and the finest stock is held for late winter deliveries. 

 The Bermuda crop from the southwestern part of the country comes 

 upon the market during April and May, so that most of the storage 

 onions are disposed of before that time. In marketing onions the 

 first essential is to properly grade and clean the bulbs, in order that 

 they may present an attractive appearance when offered for sale. 

 Ordinarily the bulbs are separated into three grades primes, 

 seconds, and picklers. The primes include all those of l 1 /^ inches 

 in diameter and larger, and the seconds consist of those from % inch 

 to l a /4 inches in diameter, while all those that will pass through a 

 %-inch screen are sold for pickling purposes. The grading is gener- 

 ally done in the field during the cleaning process, but as onions 



