CULTURE OF BULB AND STEM CROPS. 95 



these, cattle or pig manure, or the two mixed, come 

 next, and are better than strawy material from 

 stables. If the manure is decayed before applying 

 it so much the better. Bury a portion of the manure 

 under the top spade depth of soil, and turn in the 

 remainder along with the top soil so that it becomes 

 mixed with it. After digging apply basic slag on 

 the surface at the rate of 5 Ib. to 30 square yards, 

 and in the case of light soils substitute bone flour 

 for the slag. It is also necessary .to ensure that the 

 soil contains sufficient lime. In spring, a week or 

 two before planting, apply sulphate or muriate of 

 potash at the rate of 2 Ibs. to 30 square yards, and 

 in the case of poor soils a light application of sulphate 

 of ammonia may be given along with the potash. 

 If the soil is rich the sulphate of ammonia is better 

 to be withheld at this stage, and used if necessary 

 during the summer as a top-dressing to stimulate 

 the growing crop. 



Times of Sowing. For small onions, to pull green 

 for salad purposes in spring and early summer, seed 

 of the White Lisbon variety may be sown from 

 the middle to the end of July on ground that has 

 been cleared of early potatoes or other summer crop. 

 Simply tramp the ground firm and rake it level 

 before sowing. Sow thinly, and no thinning will be 

 required until the strongest plants are pulled for use 

 in spring. 



To obtain plants for growing on into large bulbs 

 make a sowing in the third week of August (the 18th 

 to the 20th) in the north, and in the southern counties 

 about ten days later ; the plants to stand all winter 

 in the seed-bed and be planted out the following 



