90 VEGECULTURE 



recommended, even with the thinnings of the spring sowings, 

 which should never be wasted if not wanted for salads. Ailsa 

 Craig, Cranston's Excelsior, T felons, and the Tripoli varieties 

 are suited to autumn work. 



Onions, being what are termed " gross feeders," can accom- 

 modate almost any amount of strong organic manures, of any 

 kind. Whatever may be available in this respect should be 

 well incorporated with the soil, from the surface downwards to 

 at least two feet even deeper, if possible. The soil can hardly 

 be too rich, especially if plenty of soot, wood-ashes, lime, and 

 burnt vegetable refuse is mixed with it, and the ground broken 

 up and exposed to the weather in the winter. Kainit and super- 

 phosphate may be dug into the soil before sowing the seeds 

 with good results. During growth, at intervals, soot-water 

 may be applied copiously if the weather is dry assisted by 

 the vigorous after-use of the hoe upon the soil. Sea-sand, also, 

 may be used with good effect upon heavy soils. 



The richness of soil, however, constitutes the chief danger to 

 Onions, for it encourages attacks by the much-dreaded maggot, 

 which is usually the result of the application of crude manures. 

 This pest may be disposed of by the application of fresh slaked 

 lime to the ground and on the seedlings during the thinning 

 process sprinkled thinly, and repeated if necessary. Another 

 serious cause of trouble is drought. This must be combated by 

 frequent waterings, with both clear and weak manure liquid, 

 and a mulch between the rows. Never allow the bulbs to be 

 covered in any way, by soil or mulching materials. 



Many people seem to think that, in order to induce bulb 

 formation, top-growth especially must be discouraged. This 

 is a mistake. Growth above ground and vigorous, free root- 

 action are the only means of bringing about perfection in the 

 bulb ; hence the emphasis upon the provision of a suitable 

 soil. This will be more readily understood by noting that the 

 bulb is a reservoir of nourishment an accumulation of food 

 reserve, to sustain the plant in its future labour of seed-produc- 

 tion. This latter is always a great strain upon the constitution 

 of plants, and, coming at a time when a plant like the Onion 

 has almost reached the end of its activities, and has probably 

 exhausted the soil in which it is growing, such a reserve of 

 nutriment contained in the bulb is very valuable ; the larger 

 the store, the greater the seed-production. To secure this 

 reserve, then, the Onion extracts from both the aboveground 

 and underground atmospheres all the available food ; and the 



