VEGETABLES OK ION. 



so that it is thoroughly incorporated with the soil. After 

 harrowing with an ordinary toothed harrow, the surface 

 should be further leveled with a Smoothing or Disc har- 

 row. The revolving discs pulverize the soil to a depth 

 of three inches much better than it can be done by 

 raking, and the smoothing board, which follows in the 

 wake of the revolving wheels, makes the surface, if free 

 from stones, as smooth as a board far better than it can 

 be done by raking. 



The ground being thus prepared, the next thing is the 

 sowing of the seed, about six pounds being used per acre. 

 This, of course, now-a-days, is always done by the seed- 

 drilling machine, of which there are many in the market; 

 we ourselves give preference to the Planet Jr. In sow- 

 ing the first row, a line must be tightly stretched so as to 

 have that row straight, after which the marker can readily 

 regulate the other rows. The favorite distance apart for 

 Onion rows is fifteen inches, though they are sometimes 

 sown as close as twelve inches, leaving put every ninth 

 row for an alley, thus forming beds of eight rows each. 

 Where there is reason to believe that weeds may be 

 troublesome, this plan of forming into beds has the 

 advantage of the alley (twenty-four inches wide), into 

 which to throw the weeds. 



We so fixedly believe in the value of firming in the 

 seeds after sowing, that we advise, in^addition to the clos- 

 ing and firming of the seeds by the drill, to use a roller 

 besides, particularly if the land is light, or where the soil 

 has not been sufficiently firmed down. 



There is no other crop where the adage of a "stitch in 

 time " is so applicable as in the Onion crop, therefore, just 

 as soon as the lines can be seen, which will be in ten or 

 twelve days after sowing, apply the scuffle hoe between 

 the rows. There are a great many styles of hand culti- 

 vators, many of which are exceedingly useful when the 

 Onions get strong enough after weeding ; for the first 



