ALL 



ALL 



April is probablv the best time. It should he 

 sown rather thick ; the plants requiring little 

 thinning, except where they rise in thick clus- 

 ters. 'J Ley bulb in June and July, and are ge- 

 nerally fit to take up in August. 



Among the several varieties of the common 

 onion, the Straburgh is the most proper lor general 

 culture, having a handsome bulb, mostly of a 

 roundish-oval shape. It is of firm growth, and 

 generally keeps well for winter use. The Spanish 

 onion is large and flat, but of mild flavour ; all 

 the varieties affording profitable crops, and can 

 scarcely be excelled for culinary purposes; but 

 they seldom keep so well after Christmas as the 

 Strasburgh kind. The Portugal onion has a very 

 large handsome bulb of a roundish-oval shape, 

 though it rarely attains the size here as in that 

 climate ; but from its being mild it is held in 

 much esteem lor sauces and other culinary uses. 

 The Tripoli is also a mild onion; but all the 

 kinds degenerate by long culture. 



In the spring, some of the keeping onions un- 

 avoidably grow as they lie in the house : these 

 may be planted out in rows six inches distant, 

 and will serve to draw up by way 7 of Escallions 

 early in the spring. But the true Scallion may 

 be easily propagated by parting the roots, either 

 in spring or autumn ; but the latter season is 

 preferable, on account of their being more fit 

 for use in the spring : these roots should be 

 planted three or four in a hole, at about six 

 inches distance every way, in beds or borders 

 three feet wide, which in a short time multiply 

 much. They will grow upon almost any soil, 

 and in any situation ; and from their being so 

 hardy as to resist the severity of winter, and 

 being green, and fit for use early in the spring, 

 they deserve to be cultivated. 



Besides the principal crop of onions there is an au- 

 tumn or Michaelmas crop, which is generally sown 

 in August : the plants appearing before Michael - 

 xnsa stand the winter, to draw occasionally for use 

 in that season, but principally for spring use, in 

 sallads, 8tc.: and likewise where the Strasburgh 

 or other variety of the common onion is sown, 

 if permitted to stand, they bulb to a tolerable 

 size in June, and supply the kitchen or market 

 as headed onions till those of the spring crop 

 are ready. 



The above is the best season for sowing these 

 crops, as, if sown sooner, they are not only apt 

 to get too forward in growth before winter, but 

 to run up to seed earlier in the spring : therefore 

 the proper time for the main crop is the first or 

 second week of that month, and in the third for 

 a late-standing one; which should be in beds four 

 feet wide, with alleys a foot in width between 

 theiijj raking the seed as in the spring crop, only 



using a much larger quantity of seed in this case. 

 The plants generally appear in a fortnight, as 

 well as many weeds, which must be cleaned out 

 by hand before they begin to spread much, the 

 plants remaining without being thinned now : but 

 in November and the following month, if they 

 stand very thick, some of the largest may be oc- 

 casionally thinned out for use. 



For the saving of seed, February is the proper 

 time to plant the old roots, though this is often 

 done in October by those who have occasion for 

 great quantities for sale. For this view, choose 

 a quantity of the largest and handsomes^ bulbs 

 which have not made anv effort to grow, and 

 upon a spot of ground properly dug, and well ex- 

 posed to the sun, plant out the onions in two or 

 three drills, formed by a line with a hoe or spade, 

 twelve inches asunder, six in depth, and nine 

 inches distant, raking the earth over them ; then 

 measuring off two feet for an alley, plant two or 

 three more rows in the same manner, and in that 

 way proceed till a sufficient extent of ground is 

 planted : the wide spaces serve to go between 

 in, to hoe and clear off weeds, as well as to 

 stake and support the stalks of the plants when 

 necessary. In June the flower-stalks will be 

 shot to their full height, and the flower-heads 

 be formed at top ; to secure which in an erect 

 position, some stout stakes should be lixed in the 

 ground along each row at two yards distance, 

 fastening from stake to stake double lines of 

 packthread; which being tied together in the 

 intervals between the stems of the plants, effec- 

 tually secures them. About the latter end of 

 August the seed will be ripe ; which is known 

 by the capsules opening, and the black colour 

 of the seed. The heads should then be cut in a dry 

 day, and spread upon cloth in the sun, taking 

 care to remove them under cover in case of wet- 

 ness and at night; and when perfectly dried 

 the seed should be rubbed out, cleaned from 

 the rubbish, and put up in bags for use. As 

 it is of the utmost importance to have good fresh 

 seed, in order to tiy its goodness some sow a 

 little in a pot, and place it in a moderate hot-bed 

 or near a fire; but a more expeditious method 

 is, to tie a little of the seed loosely in a piece of 

 linen rag, and put it into hot water suspended 

 by a thread, and in ten or fifteen minutes pull it 

 out; and if the seeds are good, they will in that time 

 have germinated, or sprouted out to some extent. 



The second species, the Ciboule or Welsh 

 Onion, as it never forms any bulb at bottom, is 

 cultivated only to draw as young green onions 

 for sallads, &e. in spring, but on account of its 

 strong taste is greatly inferior to those of the 

 Common Onion. From the plants being so ex- 

 tremely hardy as to survive the severest winter, 



