194 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



as it smooths inequalities, takes out all rubbisli, and prepares 

 the ground nicely for the drill. 



In regard to the time of sowing, something depends on the 

 selection of a suitable piece of land, one that affords early work- 

 ing, being much the most desirable, as it seems almost impossible 

 to sow too early, and not only so, but it is one of the essentials 

 to success. So much importance, is attached to this as to lead, 

 in some cases to the sowing of ashes on the snow to hasten its 

 thawing, that the ground may be earlier fitted. Probably, 

 however, any time in April will not be too late. 



Since the introduction of onion culture to the neighborhood 

 of the Connecticut River, a hand-cultivator has been invented 

 by* Levi P. Warner, of Sunderland, which is much prized as a 

 labor-saving instrument. This is convertible into a sower, in 

 which capacity it works with great precision, and is very nearly 

 a perfect machine. The amount of seed sown is about six 

 pounds of the red and five of the yellow or Dan vers, and with 

 this amount it is not considered necessary to thin out. 



As soon as the plants are large enough to fairly show the 

 rows, the ground should be run over with the cultivator or hoe, 

 and within a week or ten days after, the first hand-weeding 

 should be performed. It is impossible, however, to lay down 

 'rules here, unless it is the single one, never to let the weeds get 

 the advantage. Small we^ds are more easily killed, and with 

 less injury to the growing crop than large ones, and besides a 

 clean field will almost pay for the pleasure it affords the eye. 

 The labor of weeding may be performed by children after a 

 little practice. "We found during the last season, which, owing 

 to the drought, was not favorable to the growth of weeds, the 

 ground needed cleaning about once a fortnight. There is one 

 weed (purslane,) which seems to thrive under any amount of 

 hoeing, and when the ground is badly infested with it, it is 

 better to devote it to some other purpose. After the crop 

 is matured, which is indicated by the falling over of the tops, 

 the onions may be raked or hoed out of the ground and left to 

 cure for a week or two, when they should be topped and 

 removed to some dry place under cover, where they can remain 

 as long as there is no danger from frost, or until they are sent 

 to market. The onion is strongly inclined to grow after being 



