ONIONS. 225 



more advantage from having the soil frequently stirred 

 and applied to the roots of the plants, than the cabbage. 

 It is only by a due repetition of those operations that 

 the plants attain their most perfect growth and size. The 

 later the plants are, the more necessary it is to earth 

 them up, and the higher should the earth be drawn. — 

 After they have been earthed up, hoe deep the rest of 

 the ground. When the underleaves begin to decay, 

 they may be taken off and fed to cattle. The plants 

 will not be injured by it. (See Cabbages 1 24th page.) 



CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI. 



These are a species of cabbage, but of a superior 

 quality. They are cultivated in the same way as th« 

 common cabbage. 



ONIONS. 



This root requires a mellow, dry soil, and the richer, 

 the better. The soil may be a rich sand, sandy-loam, 

 ith-y-loam, or a gravelly-loam ; or either of these earths, 

 of common quality, when strongly manured, will answer. 

 It is supposed that well rotted and fermented composts, 

 formed of such materials as are most suitable to the soil, 

 will always be found the best manure for this root. la 

 April, or as soon as the grountl is sufficiently dry to pul- 

 verize well, make it very fine, but not deep ; make the 

 rows a foot apart, and scatter the seed thinly an inch or 

 more deep. Then fill in the drills, and harden the sur- 

 face with the back of a shovel. When the plants are 

 2 or 3 inches high, thin them to 4 or 5 inches. Or 

 make the drills about 10 inches apart, each way, and 

 drop 6 or 8 seed, where the drills intersect each other. 

 Though the largest onions are those that grow singly, 

 some inches apart, those that are more crowded produce 

 large crops. A small quantity of ashes and sand spread 

 over the ground after planting, is useful. Keep the 

 ground clear of weeds by hoeing and weeding, but, do 



not hoe deep, nor raise earth about the plants. 



They should be hoed 3 or 4 times before the tops have 

 arrived at their full height. After the bulbs begin to 

 swell, hoeing must be discontinued. It is said to be 

 very useful, to apply soot and ashes when the buld be- 

 20* 



