20 On Onions. 



when I came first to Pennsylvania, to find that onions 

 required two seasons to perfect their growth, in a coun- 

 try where I found vegetation in general so much more 

 rapid than I had been accustomed to see it in my na- 

 tive country, and in a country too where the climate is 

 so much better, and the summers longer than in Scot- 

 land. I immediately conclu(ied that this must be ac- 

 counted for from the absurd mode of culture which 

 had been introduced by the first settlers of the country, 

 and its continuance owing to the great difficulty which 

 I have always observed in rooting out old habits. I 

 inquired of gardeners and others for their opinion on 

 this subject, but got little or no satisfaction. I then 

 determined to try the mode which I had always seen 

 practised in Scotland, and which I myself had followed 

 for many years. The result was, my onions were much 

 smaller than those which I used to raise in Scotland ; 

 and though, inferior in size to those raised in two sea- 

 sons here, they were harder and better for keeping over 

 winter. I did not observe the circumstance which Mr. 

 Phillips mentions of their coming some days later, as 

 I only raised them for the use of my own family. 



After I had lived in this country a few years, I had 

 occasion to observe that the great heat and dry weather 

 which generally sets in here about the first of July, and 

 continues till the middle of September, has a great ten- 

 dency to disconcert the intentions of many European 

 plants, particularly those of them which have small fi- 

 brous roots, and go but a small way into the soil in 

 search of food. These when the moisture is so com- 

 pletely evaporated, and the soil becomes so very dry, 

 either perish entirely, or assume a premature ripeness. 



