76 FAMILY RECEIPTS. 



root bulbs, or those on the top of the stalks. The 

 latter if planted in spring, as directed for the other 

 kinds, will produce very fine, handsome sized onions of 

 excellent flavor. The root bulbs increase greatly by 

 offsets, and should be taken up once in every two or 

 three years, when the stems decay in autumn, and re- 

 planted again to produce a supply of top bulbs. 



The Potatoe Onion is of late introduction into our 

 country. It possesses the singular property of produ- 

 cing from one onion, six or seven in a clump, under 

 ground, similar to potatoes. It partakes of the mild- 

 ness of the onion of Portugal, grows very large, and is 

 easily cultivated. Prepare your land in the best man- 

 ner, and plant out one onion in a hill, the hills to be 

 one and a half feet apart. The ground should be fre- 

 quently hoed about them. It does not produce seed as 

 other onions, but is increased by the root. 



POTATO. 



To raise a crop of potatoes, authors and practical 

 men are not agreed, as to the propriety of cutting the 

 potatoes for planting. Some prefer to plant them 

 whole, however large, while others advise to cut off 

 the watery, or seed end, as it would run too much to 

 vines, or haulm, and to reject the dry, or root end, as 

 too tardy in its growth; and to cut the remainder of 

 the tuber, into pieces of one eye; and to plant the eyes 

 uppermost. But this seems to be an unnecessary waste 

 of seed. Better cut the whole potato into pieces, or 

 plant it whole, or even cut off the watery half, or seed 

 end for planting, and use what remains for the table. — 

 After cutting, let them be dried in the sun, or wet and 

 rolled in plaster. For early potatoes plant the largest — 

 the smallest will do for a late crop, if they are planted 

 in good season. 



Let the ground be ploughed deep and trenched, or 

 furrowed two feet apart, then plant your seed, from 

 eight inches to a foot apart, one piece in a place, on 

 long dung, and cover them six inches with earth. — Hoe 

 them two or three times before they blossom, and not 



