VEGETABLES 73 



in dry outhouses and well covered with matting, or 

 simply laid in a thick layer on shelves, or on the 

 floor of a dry cool room or shed. Properly stored 

 onions do not decay readily, and if dry are not 

 injured if exposed to a few degrees of frost. 

 Onions are particularly liable to ravages from the 

 Onion Fly (AntJwinyia cepa) and the Brassy Onion 

 Fly i^Luiuerus). These pests cause the young onions 

 when quite young to turn yellow and the leaves 

 sink down on the ground, and the white portion 

 is pierced to the centre by a fleshy shining grub 

 a quarter of an inch long. 



The best remedy is to sprinkle gas-lime between 

 the seedlings, as its fumes are offensive to the fly. 

 A regular use of salt and soot is an effectual pre- 

 ventive, and also spreading powdered charcoal 

 among them, as the fly will deposit her eggs on it 

 instead of the plant. The larvae will perish as soon 

 as hatched. Also sprinkle the bed with coarse salt, 

 which will not only destroy the grub but also act 

 as manure to the roots. 



In dull weather mildew may be found in a 

 spring onion bed. The only thing likely to do 

 good is to dust the plants with sulphur, and a 

 sprinkling of nitrate of soda would help the plant 

 to grow out of it. 



The best kinds to grow are : Sutton's Giant 

 Blood-red Rocca, Sutton's Silver Globe, Sutton's 

 Giant Zittau and Bedfordshire Champion (both 

 good keepers), Ailsa Craig, Cranston's Excelsior, 

 Trebons, James Keeping. 



