THE GENESEE FARMER. 



raising the black seed or common onion, I sow in 

 drills 13 or 14 inches apart, sowing four times as 

 much seed as I intend to have remain should it all 

 grow. When of sufficient size to weed, I use the 

 hoe, and tlie drills being straight allow me to cut 

 clo^o, leaving but little to weed by hand. Where 

 I find them too thick I cut them out with a sharp 

 hoe, about five inches apart, leaving five plants in 

 a hill. Wliere there are any missing, I transplant. 

 in this way I usually obtain good crops. Last 

 year I liad 281^ hu. from 45 rods of ground treat- 

 ed in this way. G. N. Hatuawley. — West Pots- 

 dam, N. Y." 



" Top Onioms. — I always place my top onions in 

 the ground as soon in the spring as I can get them 

 in — sometimes in March, but always as early as 

 April. Those intended for raising seed should be 

 Set deeper in the ground than those for bottoms. 

 Tlie largest seedlings will raise seed. I cultivate 

 for seed, therefore break no tops. I save my old 

 onions, which are sound, to re-plant in the spring. 

 I have had good success in keeping, as follows: — 

 The seed will do to cut from the stalk when the 

 stalk begins to dry up, which will be generally 

 the last of July or first of August. The seeds are 

 laid in a dry, airy ])lace. The bottoms are left — 

 tho.-e I use for seed — till the last of August or first 

 of September. They are then taken up and dried 

 in the s\m a day or two, and are then removed to 

 a dry place. Wlien winter is about to set in, I 

 put them all in old sacks or bags, from a bushel to 

 a bushel and a half in a bag, after looking them 

 over carefully and yjutting up none but sound. I 

 then place these bags in my chamber, over my 

 kitchen, and hang them up. I sometimes keep 

 . the bottoms in my cellar, but it reqiures more 

 care. Tliere is no fire in the chamber, but the 

 heat from below. It will not spoil them to freeze, 

 although I prefer not to have them, but keep them 

 dry and cool. A. S. Moss. — Fredonia, N. Y." 



" I shall not undertake to answer strictly the 

 inquiries contained in your February number, but 

 will give some of the experience of twenty-five 

 years practice in raising from 1000 to 2000 bush- 

 els of onions each year, without ever failing for 

 the last twenty years. There are three import- 

 ant considerations to ensure a large crop of onions : 



1st Rich land, well prepared with fine manure. 



2d. Sow the seed early, if ]jossible the first time 

 the land is dry enough after the snow is off in the 

 spring, in rows 14 or 10 inches apart. 



3d. Thin out to 1^ inches iu the rows, and to 

 be kept free from weeds. 



The general cause of failure is late sowing; 

 onions will not bottom unless sowed early ; those 

 sown early will never fail to be proper ■ onions, 

 but the size will depend on the quality cf the land 

 and the manner of tilling. Some are yet of the 

 opinion that the only certain way to ensure a crop 

 of onions, is bo raise from sets; this is a mistake. 

 The experience of the last ten years has shown 

 that the quantity of onion seed used, in propor- 

 tion to other seed, lias five times doubled in sec- 

 tions (particularly at the south) where the idea 

 has been prevalent that onions could not be raised 

 from the seed the first year, which is altogether 

 eiToneous. Wm. Risley. — Fredonia, iV! Y." 



To Kill "VVuite Biroues. — As there has been 

 Inquiry made as to tlie best mode of killing White 

 Birch, I would say in reply, cut them in the 

 spring before the leaves start ; cut the stumps two 

 or tlii-ee feet from the ground and it will i)o sure 

 death. Some may object to cutting them so high 

 uj"), but if cut close to the ground, there will start 

 fifty from one. The stumps will rot in one year. 

 R R—Jiose, JV. Y. 



Ice IIottses. — I want to erect myself an Ice House during 

 the ensuing summer, so it may be ready to fill next winter. 

 I would be pleased to be informed by some of your numer- 

 ous correspondents the best mode to erect one, as a building 

 of this kind 'with us is quite a novelty. Cannot it be tilled 

 in cold freezing weather by letting a small stream of water 

 run in at the top of the building from my water-fountain, 

 which is high enough to let it in at the top. S. John. — 

 Mount Catnfort, I'a. 



Dairy IIoitse. — I design building a Milk or Dairy house 

 — should I put it two. three, four, of five feet below the sur- 

 face of the earth ? Should I have a flag-stone floor? Can 

 I have too to ((cA ventilation on the north side? Should I 

 have more than half as much on the south side as on the 

 north, and should those windows be near the top of the 

 room for the warmed air to pass off? Should the sides, or 

 the south side, be filled in between the siding and inside 

 plastering with tan bark, or not? Should the siiaoe between 

 the roof and inside of the rafters be filled with tan bark? 

 In fine, do give us a good plan for a Dairy House — practi- 

 cal, plain, and not too costly. I have never seen a very 

 large number, but I have never seen a good one. E. H. — 

 ManorkUl, N. Y. 



HORTICULTURAL. 



(J. D. v., Benton, K Y.) Apples. — Your speci- 

 mens came to' hand somewhat damaged, but it is 

 a tender, juicy, sweet fruit — as good as any of its 

 season — and if a good grower and bearer, worthy 

 of cultivation. Send us a couple of grafts iu a 

 letter. 



(W. J. B., Grand Rapids, Mich.) You can pro- 

 cure Horse Chestnuts of the seedsmen, iu the 

 Autumn, at about %h per barrel, perhaps less. 

 Sow in drills four inches apart, cover three inches 

 deep, and when they have grown one or two 

 years, transplant ihto nursery rows. 



(W. S. H., Ballston Spa.) We are not aware 

 of the Sarraeenia being cultivated in gardens suc- 

 cessfully. It would require low, marshv ground. 

 It is, as you reniai'k, " a curious and elegant plant," 

 better appreciated abroad than at home. Thou- 

 sands are annually sent to Europe. 



The best book on general floriculture is Breck's ; 

 the best special, rose treatise, is Parsons'. We 

 cannot answer as to " what rose bears the highest 

 reputation." It depends upon the character de- 

 sired. La Re'xne, Hybrid Perpetual ; Souvemr de 

 la Malmaison, Bourbon ; Cloth of Gold, Noisette; 

 Devoniejisis, Tea ; are all celebrated and fine roses 

 of their respective classes. 



(J. M., Albion, Iowa.) We fear you will never 

 succeed iu growing peaches on your rich, deep, 

 black loamy soil — "two to three feet deep in a 



