88 VEGECULTURE 



point out these facts because there is so much danger in the 

 general advice one constantly sees concerning the preparation 

 of the Onion-bed to " make the soil compact by treading 

 or beating down with a spade or board," etc. That is not 

 applicable, or effective, in all cases. A passing note may be 

 made of the fact that there is considerable difference between 

 consolidating the bulk of the earth and pressing the soil gently 

 upon newly-sown seeds, or making the surface firm and level 

 for the reception of transplanted seedlings. The latter two are 

 matters concerning the state of the surface of the ground at 

 the time of the operations, and are referred to under the heading 

 of " Seed-sowing " (see pages 21-23). 



It will be seen, then, that the combination of a deeply-dug 

 yet compact soil is essential to the production of good Onions. 

 The thorough winter preparation of the Onion site by trenching, 

 ridging, or, at least, deep digging, effectually guards against 

 the adverse effects that might accrue from over-consolidation 

 of the ground ; for once the particles of soil are thoroughly 

 separated, they are likely to remain so for some time, on account 

 of the admitted presence of air and water, even under pressure 

 from above. (This can be readily proved by turning up a 

 light subsoil, the surface of which has been trodden down quite 

 hard and dry.) When this combination lias been effected, it 

 only remains to bring the surface into a reasonable condition 

 (see page 22) to create an ideal Onion-bed. 



The seeds are sown, preferably in drills, one inch deep. A 

 deeper drill, to be partly filled with a compost as advised on 

 page 23, will prove useful on heavy soils. Fairly thick sowing 

 may be indulged in, as all thinnings may be either used in 

 salads or transplanted elsewhere. 



SPRING SOWING. This is carried out early in February, and 

 once or even twice afterwards during that month and March. 

 Small beds of several kinds may be tried, if desired. The young 

 seedling plants must be kept quite free from weeds, and imme- 

 diately they are large enough thinning should be performed, 

 choosing the weaker plants to be removed ; the distance from 

 plant to plant may be from four to twelve inches, according to 

 the size the bulbs are required to attain. 



The seeds^of such varieties as Ailsa Craig and Cranston's 

 Excelsior may be sown in January in heat under glass, pricked 

 out into boxes and kept close to the glass until April, when 

 they are planted out one foot apart, Very large bulbs are 

 obtained by this means, 



