SIDE ISSUES. 93 



cool, dry room, or freeze tliem as advised for wintering 

 ordinary onions. Never handle them while yet partially 

 frozen, nor keep them long in bulk after cold weather is 

 past. 



Bunching Onions. 



Bunching onions form one of the most important crops 

 of the market gardener, and about the earliest outdoor 

 crop of the season to bring in money. In all except the 

 extreme northern States, I believe sets could be safely 

 planted late in the fall, rather than in the spring, as now 

 generally practiced. I have thus planted sets of the Early 

 Pearl, and they wintered well without protection, and made 

 good bulbs for bunching. In our trying winters, however, 

 it may be safer to cover the patch lightly with marsh hay 

 or other litter, or defer planting until early spring. Place 

 the sets two inches apart and about as deep, into rows, 

 which may be from eight to twelve inches apart. The soil 

 should be a rich, mellow garden loam. Begin pulling and 

 bunching the green onions when about half grown, and 

 market them as fast as they are wanted. At first, take 

 twelve plants for a bunch, reducing this number gradually 

 as the bulbs grow larger, and until five or six constitute a 

 bunch. 



Sometimes it pays well to grow bunching onions in the 

 green or forcing house. Of course the sets should be 

 planted quite close, say two by four inches, in order to 

 fully occupy the space. In February and March they will 

 bring a good price. For both glass and outdoor culture, 

 seedling plants of the Barletta, started early under glass, 

 may be used in place of sets. Of course the onions will 

 be small, but, as on account of the extreme earliness of the 

 variety they can be produced before other bunching onions 

 come into market, they seem to bring the money. 



