192 ONIONS. 



ning to the end of the month, according as your 

 situation is near the mountains or on the level 

 the sea. The exactness of season is in this case 

 important, and is best learned by trial; if too late, 

 the seedlings are thrown out by the frost in winter: 

 if too early, the plants all shoot in summer. Some 

 in any case will shoot; but by pinching off the 

 pruriant bud, good keeping bulbs may be secured. 

 There is a tree sort, which bears its bulbs at the 

 top of a long stalk; and another called the potato 

 onion, which bears below ground according to its 

 name. This last is capable of producing well, but 

 is only to be preferred where the raising of a crop 

 from seed is found to be precarious. A worm or 

 maggot is the main enemy. Observe the rule of 

 manuring as above, do not sow again for a time on 

 the spot that has once been infested by the worm; 

 try ground that has been long under a different 

 sort of crop as strawberries, artichokes, rhubarb, 

 or seakale. It is not probable that any remaining 

 scent of the removed crop offends the maggot; 

 but very likely it is that the foresight of the par- 

 ent judged the places bearing such crops unsuita- 

 ble for the deposition of her larvae during the pre- 

 vious year. Transplanting may also have a good 

 effect in saving onions from the destructive maggot. 

 With this intention very early sowing must be ob- 

 served, and the roots may be soaked in a solution 

 of soot mingled with earth. By sowing a small bed 

 about midsummer, very thickly, and on the poorest 

 soil, either that which is gravelly or under the 



