ONI 



[879 J 



OKI 



the soil is in that happy medium that 

 may be termed neither dry nor wet, and 

 yet sufficiently heated to occasion no im- 

 mediate check by cold. Fifthly. Water- 

 ing is the most important of all points, 

 and, where it cannot be properly attended 

 to, the one-shift system should not be 

 attempted. For some time you must 

 merely water as far as the roots extend 

 the unappropriated soil must not be 

 soaked, or it will become sour and un- 

 healthy for the roots even before they 

 get to it. No regular routine dash or 

 dribble from the water-pot will do with 

 the one-shift system. Sixthly. Tempera- 

 ture. On this system, for some time 

 after potting, the plants should have from 

 5 to 10 more heat than they otherwise 

 would require, and a close atmosphere 

 until fresh growth is proceeding freely. 

 A dash from the syringe frequently, in hot 

 days, will be of great importance. Every 

 incitement to growth must thus be given; 

 and, when that has been accomplished, 

 then air must be freely imparted, and a 

 drier atmosphere maintained, that the 

 fresh wood so freely made may be 

 thoroughly matured. Seventhly. Time 

 of Potting. Upon this system, in the 

 case of all lasting plants intended to he 

 our companions for years, this should 

 take place in spring and early summer, 

 in order, first, that growth may be quickly 

 made, and then maturation of the wood 

 be effected before the dark days come, 

 when, in the generality of cases, the low 

 temperature of winter will give them the 

 rest they require before breaking and 

 flowering vigorously and profusely the 

 following season. 



ONION. A'llium ce'pa. 



Soil, rich, open, and well drained, in a 

 situation entirely free from trees ; if the 

 soil be poor, abundance of dung should 

 be applied in the preceding autumn or 

 winter. Sea-sand, particularly if the 

 ground is at all tenacious, is advantage- 

 ously employed ; coal-ashes, and espe- 

 cially soot, are applied with particular 

 benefit In digging over the ground, 

 small spits only should be- turned over 

 at a time, that the texture may be well 

 broken and pulverized. 



Varieties. 1, Silver - skinned Onion, 

 hardiest; 2, Early Silver -skinned; 3, 

 True Portugal ; 4, Spanish ; 5, Strasburg; 

 6, Deptford (largest in England); 7, 

 Globe (white or red), best; 8, James's 

 Keeping Onion j 9, Pale Bed ; 10, Yel- 



low; 11, Blood-red; 12, Tripoli; 13, 

 Two-bladed; 14, Lisbon. 



Sow for the main crop during March. 

 Main crops may even be inserted as late 

 as the beginning of April, and at its 

 close a small sowing to draw young in 

 summer, and for small bulbs to pickle ; 

 again in July and early in August, for 

 salads in autumn ; and finally in the last 

 week of August, or early in September, 

 to stand the winter, for spring and begin- 

 ning of summer. Sow thinly in drills, 

 eight inches apart. An ounce of seed is 

 sufficient for a rood of ground, especially 

 for the main crops, as they should never 

 be allowed to grow to a size fit for salads 

 without thinning. The beds should be 

 about four feet wide, for the convenience 

 of cultivation. 



Cultivation. In about six weeks after 

 sowing, the plants will be of sufficient 

 size to allow the first thinning and small 

 hoeing, by which they are to be set out 

 about two inches apart. If this is per- 

 formed in dry weather it will keep the 

 beds free from weeds for six weeks longer, 

 when they must be hoed a second time, 

 and thinned to four inches apart ; and 

 now, where they have failed, the vacancies 

 may be filled up by transplanting there 

 some of those thinned out. The best 

 time for doing this is in the evening, and 

 water must be given for several successive 

 nights. In transplanting, the root only 

 is to be inserted, and no part of the stem 

 buried. No plant is more benefited by 

 liquid^nanure being given twice a week. 

 After the lapse of another month they 

 must be thoroughly gone over for the last 

 time, and the plants thinned to six inches 

 asunder. After this they require only 

 occasionally the stirring of the surface, 

 which the hoe effects. In order to pre- 

 vent their running too much to blade, it 

 is a good practice, in July, before the tips 

 change to a yellow hue, to bend the stems 

 down flat upon the bed, which not only 

 prevents it, but causes the bulbs to be- 

 come much larger than they otherwise 

 would. The bend should be made about 

 two inches up the neck. 



Storing. About the close of August 

 the onions will have arrived at their full 

 growth, which may be known by the 

 withering of the foliage, by the shrinking 

 of the necks, and by the ease with which 

 they may be pulled up. As soon as these 

 symptoms appear, they must be taken up, 

 the bed being frequently looked overj 



