ONION SETS. 67 



onion sets are preserved in that climate for six months 

 or longer, and are usually almost as fresh in appearance 

 at the end of that time as they were at the beginning. 



Cleaning. To clean onion sets properly, the weather 

 should be dry and warm. For the purpose, a quarter- 

 inch meshed wire screen twelve to fourteen feet long, 

 three feet in width, is generally used after the following 

 manner. 



Sets are gathered from the windrows after the dew is 

 off in the morning, say about nine o'clock, and are 

 first placed on canvas or boards to dry off. This is to 

 be done in the shade, so as to avoid sunburn; sets must 

 not be exposed to the direct rays of the sun. When 

 they have become thoroughly dry, cleaning is in order. 

 This is performed by simply rubbing them back and 

 forth on the screen until they are cleaned from tops, 

 roots and dirt, when they are pushed out of one end of 

 it into bushel baskets. 



Storing. Onion sets are best preserved at a uni- 

 formly low, dry temperature, with absence of light; 

 above everything, moisture and heating in bulk should 

 be guarded against. To avoid gathering moisture and 

 heating, they should not be packed over six inches in 

 depth. If they become too warm they will start to 

 growing. In the fall and spring the room in which 

 they are stored, while it should be darkened, should 

 have free circulation of air by opening the doors and 

 windows, especially on warm, clear days; besides which, 

 the sets should be stirred and turned over about twice 

 a week. 



Sets will bear a temperature down to 25 above 

 zero without injury. But if they should chance to get 

 frozen, do not handle or disturb them while in that 

 condition; merely keep them covered as hereafter 



