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method, as by it one man may do >.s mu .h is 

 t&ree : and ii is also the most beneficial to the 

 plants, as, by stirring the ground about them with 

 the hoe, it greatly forwards their growth, as is 

 mostly seen in a lew days after the operation has 

 been executed. This mode is more particularly 

 eligible for the larger principal crop>, tor which 

 a good sharp one-hand hoe. about two inches 

 or not more than two and a halt' broad, is the 

 best, carefully cutting up all sorU of weeds. 

 Where the onions stand too close they should 

 be cut out in a regular thinning order to about 

 three inches distance in the first hoeing; and in 

 the second, which should lie done a month or 

 fi„ve weeks after the first, in such crops as are 

 not wanted for occasional drawing, they may be 

 hoed out to four or five inches, or more, leaving 

 the strongest plants as much as possible for the 

 continuing crop. Where the beds are very clean, 

 the plants may be set out at the lirst hoeing to 

 these distances. It is of much consequence to 

 the crops that the plants have plenty of room. 

 It will generally be proper to run over them again 

 in the same manner a few weeks afterw aids, in 

 order to cut up all advancing weeds, and any 

 superabundant plants that may have escaped in 

 the former operations; after which they seldom 

 require any further culture than that of pulling 

 out such casual straggling weeds as may present 

 themselves. 



Where the crops are small, or where they are 

 •required for thinning or drawing bv degrees, for 

 vise in their young green state and in small bulbs, 

 the weeding and thinning, where in clusters, may 

 generally be best performed by the hand. 



In the more advanced growth of the crop, 

 where the superabundant plants are occasionally 

 thinned out for use as wanted, they should be 

 drawn in a regular manner, so as to leave a. suf- 

 ficiency of the strongest plants remaining at mo- 

 derate distances for a crop to attain their full 

 growth. 



It is highly necessary to continue to keep the 

 crops yery clean from weeds in their advancing 

 growth during the months of May, June, and 

 .udv; which begin their principal growing season, 

 if they are not kept quite free from weeds, and 

 sufficiently thinned, ihev draw up weak and slen- 

 der, by which their bulbing is much retarded. 

 About the middle or latter end of June the crops 

 begin swelling a little at bottom, but more hilly 

 in July; and in August the bulbs arrive to full 

 growth, and are proper for taking -wholly up. 

 But about a fortnight, three weeks, or more, 

 before this time, when they begin to bulb, the 

 sterns should all be broken down or laid, which 

 is most readily performed by two persons passing 

 a small pole or rod alo»g the beds, so as to strike 

 1 



the necks of the onions about four inches fro'rri 

 the bulbs. Some, however, twist the necks by 

 the hand; which effects the business more ef- 

 fectually. The nourishment of the plant.- being 

 in this way diverted from the stem, lends to pro- 

 mote the swelling of the bulbs. 



Towards the middle of August the crops must 

 be examined ; and when the necks shrink and 

 fall, and the leaves wither, it may be concluded 

 that the bulbs are arrived at maturity and have 

 done growing. They should then be pulled tip, 

 cleaned, anil dried ; which is best done in dry 

 weather, on a piece of ground raked and cleaned, 

 in order to spread them upon, to dry and harden 

 as thev are pulled up. They should he in this way 

 a week or more, being turned every day or two ; 

 after which the lirst opportunity should be taken- 

 to house them. The bulbs must be first divested 

 of all adhering earth, loose skins, and the gross- 

 est part of the leaves and neck, rejecting all the 

 bad and bruised ones ; and then they may be de- 

 posited in any dry upper room, out of the damp, 

 spreading them thinly on the floor. The closer 

 the room in which they are kept, the better ; but 

 care must be taken to turn them over occasion- 

 ally, and to clear out such as have any tendency 

 to become putrid. 



As in the culture of onions it frequently hap- 

 pens, that through badness of seed, or other 

 causes, persons are disappointed of a crop, by 

 waiting, in expectation of the plants coming up, 

 till it becomes too late to sow again ; in such 

 cases, recourse may be had to the practice of 

 transplanting from other beds or gardens where 

 there are superfluous crops. This business is 

 best done in May, or early in June, and. if pos- 

 sible, in moist weather : having a spot of w el 1 

 dunged ground prepared, the plants should be 

 taken up with o'ood roots, and immediately planted 

 in rows six inches distant, and four inches apart 

 in each row, inserting the roots but a little way 

 into the ground ; for, if planted deep, they do 

 not bulb well. A good watering should be given 

 as soon as the plants are put in. By repeating 

 the waterings occasionally for a week or fort- 

 night afterwards, the plants will generally grow 

 freely, and form tolerably handsome buIbsT It 

 is probable that this method might sometimes 

 be adopted in the more early crops with advan- 

 tage in respect to the size of the bulbs, as it is 

 generally employed in Portugal where the culture 

 of these crops is carried to much perfection. 



Onions for pickling are in great request in 

 many places : those proper for this purpose 

 should not be bigger than common round but- 

 tons. In order to procure them of this size in 

 due quantity, some seed should be sown late, in 

 a spot of light poor land : about the middle ot 



