IX. 



THE HARVEST. 

 GATHERING AND TAKING CARE OF THE CROP. 



PULLING IN TIME. — CURING OUTDOORS. — KEEP DRY, — CURING ON RARN 

 FLOOR OR UNDER SHEDS. — ONION CURING SHED. 



When the tops turn yellow and begin to die, the crop is 

 ready to be harvested. Be prompt. It is usually safer to 

 pull the onions a few days too early, than too late. Do not 

 wait until eveiy onion in the patch is dead and all the 

 tops have died down. Onions always ripen up unevenly, 

 and many specimens, at the proper time of harvesting, will 

 be quite green. This should give the grower no concern. 

 If the bulb is good, the green top will soon dry and 

 dwindle away. The danger lies in the tendency of the 

 ripe bulbs to commence a second growth, if left too long 

 in the ground, especially in a wet season. The onion 

 should be kept perfectly dormant. New growth soon spoils 

 it. One of the greatest advantages of the "new onion 

 culture" is the early ripening of the crop, which brings the 

 time of harvesting and curing into midsummer or early fall, 

 when warm, dry days favor the proper curing. To get a 

 part of the crop into an extra early and willing market, we 

 may even begin pulling the onions before they are fully 

 matured. Sometimes we can make more money thereby 

 than by waiting for more growth and maturity. 



Pulling the Crop. 

 The work itself offers no difficulties. The smallest boys 

 may be employed in " pulling ' ' the crop. It is quick work, 



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