ESSAY ON ONIONS. 87 



the first year with corn, the second with carrots, and afterwards with 

 onions. It is important, before the seed is sown, that the surface 

 be mellow, finely pulverized, and clear of stones or other impedi- 

 ments, to the free and unobstructed use of the machine for this pur- 

 pose. The finer and more uniformly mellow the surface is made, 

 the better. Shallow ploughing, say from four to six inches deep, is 

 usually practised. Once ploughing only in the spring, and frequent 

 harrowings, are practiced. Before the ploughing the dressing is 

 usually spread upon the surface of the field, so as to be covered, or 

 intermixed in the furrow. The mingling and subdivision of it, is 

 effected by the use of the harrow. 



Whether it would not be advantageous occasionally, to stir the 

 land to the full depth of the soil, is a point on which there is a dif- 

 ference of opinion ; most of the cultivators inclining to the use of 

 shallow ploughing only. There are some facts tending to show, 

 that occasional deep stirring of the soil, does no harm to the onion 

 crop, but on the contrary is decidedly beneficial. As for instance, 

 onions do better where carrots have grown the year preceding, than 

 after any other crop. The carrot necessarily starts the soil to the 

 depth of ten or twelve inches. Possibly there may be some other 

 influence upon the soil from the plant itself. Our belief is, that the 

 thorough and deep stirring of it, is the principal preparatory benefit. 



2. The manure best adapted to promote ihe growth. 



Any strong manure, well rotted and finely subdivided will answer. 

 But the general impression seems to be, that manure from stables, 

 where the horses are freely fed with grain, is the best ; and that it 

 should be at least one year old, because it will not be sufficiently 

 rotten in a less time. All agree that the dressing for the land should 

 be kept near the surface, well mixed, and as fine as possible. 

 Though we have seen the present year, a very superior grovrth of 

 onions, where green manure from the barn-yard was applied in the 

 spring ; but particular pains were taken to subdivide and intermingle 

 it with the soil ; and to bush-harrow the land so thoroughly, that very 

 little of the manure was exposed upon the surface. 



Muscle-bed is frequently used upon onion land. A portion of this 

 is deemed by some almost indispensable. We have known the contin- 

 ued use for half a dozen years in succession, even without other ma- 

 nures, with a continuation of fair crops ; but the general impression 

 is, that it will not do to repeat the application of muscle-bed many 



