VEGETABLES. 139 



Of onions, the standard for an excellent table article is found 

 among those that are not over three inches in their greatest di- 

 ameter, with a fine, close skin, thin, compact layers, a small 

 neck, with the whole bulb feeling about as hard, when handled, 

 as a stone. The Large Red Wethersfield onion is the latest in 

 maturing, and a large percentage makes but scullions, even 

 under the best of treatment ; while the Early Red Globe grows 

 to as large a size, crops equally well, and the onions are among 

 the most symmetrical, and in earliness are among the earliest. 

 For these reasons, as would be inferred, it is fast superseding 

 the Late Red where it has been introduced. The Early 

 " Cracker" onion, when I first introduced it to the general pub- 

 lic, was remarkably early, but quite thin, and therefore would 

 not measure well when marketed. For the past two or three 

 years, while retaining its earliness, it has grown much thicker, 

 and now so closely resembles the old Flat or Strasburg onion, 

 that the public would be decidedly a gainer if they would throw 

 overboard that late variety, and substitute in" its place the 

 " Cracker," which matures fully two weeks earlier, a character- 

 istic of vast value, in short seasons, to the onion farmers of the 

 North. For general crop, in Essex County, the Early Danvers 

 rules the market, and we know of no variety for a standard 

 onion that deserves to replace it. The Potato onion is the ear- 

 liest of all varieties, and, when used as early, is tlie sweetest 

 and tenderest of all onions ; but after summer has past, it soon 

 becomes tough and unsuitable for the table. I would advise all 

 farmers- to plant a quart or so of the potato onion sets, to be 

 used in the family before those raised from seed get sizable. 



The largest cabbage of its kind is usually the best, and 

 among our greatest cabbage-eating class the largest cabbage of 

 the largest kinds always find a ready market. For these reasons 

 it is desirable that we should encourage at our exhibitions the 

 largest specimens of all varieties where such specimens have 

 hard and handsome heads. The largest cabbage of its kind, 

 other things equal, is the best ; because, to attain this extra 

 size, it must have grown faster than its fellows, and having 

 grown faster it is therefore more tender, and being more tender, 

 under these circumstances, it is also the sweetest. The Marble- 

 head Mammoth is our standard large cabbage in Essex County, 

 and when the market is within a few miles, it is a capital sort 



