TIJE HARVEST. 71 



too, especially when the onions were grown on the new 

 plan, and are all uniformly large and regular. Each boy 

 (or grown person) may take three or four rows, pulling the 

 onions up by taking hold of each bulb itself, pushing or 

 pulling it over (not by the top unless that happens to be 

 large and strong), and then leaving all the onions pretty 

 much in a windrow along one side. 



Here they are left until fully cured, which in warm and 

 dry weather may require a week's time or longer. If wanted 

 for immediate use, or to meet a present lively demand at 

 extra prices, there would be no need of waiting for them 

 to cure perfectly. Each grower must be guided by circum- 

 stances, and his own good judgment in this matter. Under 

 ordinary atmospheric conditions it is perfectly safe to cure 

 the onions outdoors. It is the cheapest and least laborious 

 method. The short rains which we are liable to have occa- 

 sionally, during summer and early autumn, will do no 

 harm. The bulbs soon dry again. If there should be a 

 long rainy spell, you may turn the onions occasionally, 

 either by hand, or better, with a wooden rake or fork. 



Gathering for Storage. 

 Be sure that the onions are perfectly dry on the outside, 

 when you gather them for storage. Pick them up into 

 bushel crates or baskets, and spread them upon the 

 barn floor or a dry loft. Do not let them stand for days 

 together in barrels, or even in crates and baskets. The 

 bulbs may appear entirely dry, and yet they will sweat and 

 sprout, causing loss and trouble to the grower. If well 

 cured and dry, you can put them upon a dry, airy floor a 

 foot or more deep without danger. But the sooner you 

 go at them, and twist or cut off the remnants of top and 

 root, the better it will be. Then you are safe in storing 

 the onions in slatted crates or ventilated barrels on the 

 barn floor or under a dry shed. 



