1 3 o POPULAR VEGETABLES 



quarter-inch mesh sieve. Boxes two feet long, one 

 foot wide and four and a half inches deep will be 

 found suitable. Cover the seeds about half an inch 

 deep, and then place the boxes in a greenhouse where 

 a moist atmosphere and a temperature of from 55 to 

 60 can be maintained. As soon as the seedlings are 

 large enough to handle, prick them off into rather 

 deeper boxes, placing them three inches apart each way, 

 and use the compost recommended above. When 

 the young plants have started into growth, place the 

 boxes in a rather cooler house, giving them a position 

 near the glass, and syringe twice on bright days. 

 About the middle of March place them in a cold 

 frame, and commence to harden off early in April by 

 removing the lights on all favourable occasions. 



The third week in April is an ideal time to plant 

 out the crop. Use a trowel for planting, and allow 

 a distance of eighteen inches between the rows and 

 fifteen inches between the plants. Dust over with 

 soot occasionally. This will help to keep down the 

 attack of the Onion fly, which often does much damage 

 during the spring ; but it will be noticed that Onions 

 sown in boxes and transplanted are not so liable to 

 this pest as those sown in the open ground. When 

 the plants have become well established, a dressing 

 with some approved fertiliser should be applied about 

 once in ten days. 



Where sowing in the open must be adopted, the 

 end of February till about the third week in March 



