ONI 



[580] 



ONO 



for if the whole crop is waited for, the 

 forwardest, especially in moist situations 

 or seasons, are apt again to strike root. 



Spread on mats in the sun, frequently 

 turn, and remove under shelter at night. 

 In two or three weeks, when the roots 

 and blades are perfectly withered, and the 

 bulbs become firm, they are fit for storing, 

 being housed in dry weather, and care- 

 fully preserved from bruising. Previously 

 to doing this, all soil and refuse must be 

 removed from them ; for these are apt to 

 induce decay : to prevent this as much as 

 possible, all faulty ones should be rejected. 

 Inthestore-housetheymustbelaidasthin 

 as may be, or hung up in ropes, and looked 

 over at least once a month. To preserve 

 some from sprouting, for late use, it is 

 useful to sear the roots and the summits 

 with a hot iron, care being taken not to 

 scorch the bulb. 



Additional Modes of Cultivation. For 

 the winter-standing crop the only addi- 

 tional directions necessary are to tread in 

 the seed regularly before raking, if the 

 soil, as it ought to be, is dry and light. 

 They must be kept constantly clear of 

 weeds, as well as of the fallen leaves of 

 trees, but they need not be thinned. Early 

 in spring they are to be transplanted for 

 bulbing. Sow in May. Cultivate the 

 plants as in the other crops ; and in Octo- 

 ber the bulbs, being of the size of nuts, 

 are to be taken up, dried, and housed, as 

 directed for the full-grown bulbs. About 

 the middle of the following March they 

 must be planted out in rows, six inches 

 apart each way, and cultivated the same 

 as the other crops. If sown earlier than 

 May they run to seed when transplanted. 

 Another mode, nearly as efficacious, is to 

 sow in the latter part of August, to stand 

 the winter, and in March, early or late, 

 according to the forward growth of the 

 seedlings, to be planted out in rows at 

 the before-directed distance, and culti- 

 vated as usual. 



In Portugal they sow in a moderate 

 hotbed during November or December, 

 in a warm situation, with a few inches of 

 mould upon it ; and the plants are pro- 

 tected from frost by hoops and mats. In 

 April or May, when of tbe size of a swan's 

 quill, they are transplanted into a light, 

 rich loam, well manured with old-rotten 

 dung, to bulb. Transplanting alone is of 

 great benefit. 



To save Seed, some old onions must be 

 planted early in March, the finest and 



firmest bulbs being selected, and planted 

 in rows ten inches apart each way, either 

 in drills or by a blunt-ended dibble, the 

 soil to be rather poorer, if it differs at all 

 from that in which they are cultivated for 

 bulbing. They must be buried so deep 

 that the mould just covers the crown. 

 If grown in large quantities, a path must 

 be left two feet wide between every three 

 or four rows, to allow the necessary cul- 

 tivation. They must be kept thoroughly 

 clear from weeds, and, when in flower, 

 have stakes driven at intervals of five or 

 six feet on each side of every two rows, 

 to which a string is to be fastened through- 

 out the whole length, a tew inches below 

 the heads, to serve as a support, and pre- 

 vent their being broken down. The seeds 

 are ripe in August, which is intimated by 

 the husks becoming brownish ; the heads 

 must then be immediately cut, otherwise 

 the receptacles will open and shed their 

 contents. Being spread on cloths in the 

 sun, they soon become perfectly dry, 

 when the seed may be rubbed out, cleaned 

 of the chaff, and, after remaining another 

 day or two, finally stored. It is of the 

 utmost consequence to employ seed of 

 not more than one year old, otherwise 

 scarcely one in fifty will vegetate. 

 The goodness of seed may be easily dis- 

 covered by forcing a little of it in a hot- 

 bed or warm water a day before it is 

 employed ; a small white point will soon 

 protrude if it is fertile. 



ONION-FLY. See ANTHOMYIA and Eu- 

 MERUS. 



ONISCUS. 0. aselhis, O. armadillo. 

 Woodlice. The first is most easily dis- 

 tinguished from the second by its not 

 rolling up in a globular form when at rest. 

 They are found in old, dry dunghills, 

 cucumber-frames, &c., and they are in- 

 jurious to many plants, fruits, &c., by 

 gnawing off the outer skin. Gas-lime 

 will expel them from their haunts, and 

 two boards or tiles kept one-eighth of an 

 inch apart form an excellent trap. 



ONOBRO'MA. (From onos, the ass, and 

 broma, food. Nat. ord., Composites [As- 

 teracese] . Linn., 1 Q-Syngenesia 1-^Bqualis. 

 Allied to Carthamus.) 



Cuttings, and divisions, and seeds of peren- 

 nials ; annuals, bv seed ; common soil ; arbore's- 

 cens requires the protection of a cool greenhouse 

 in winter. 

 0. arbore'scens (tree-like). 6. Yellow. July. 



Spain. 1731. Evergreen. 

 caru'leum (blue). 1. Bluet June. Spain. 

 1640. Herbaceous. 



