384 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



it smooth with the back of the spade, before making the 

 drills. In seeding in the open garden do not sow very 

 thickly — only one or two seeds in a place. A seed every 

 inch is quite thick enough, as thinning out, when too 

 thick, is apt to injure the remainder. Cover the seeds 

 about half an inch with fine sifted soil, and press down 

 the earth upon them by a roller, or walking over them on 

 a plank. 



When they come up, thin them out gradually in the 

 drills to six inches apart. Keep the bed clean and free 

 from weeds, and stir it frequently, but not deeply, with a 

 hoe. Do not hill the earth up against the bulbs; but draw 

 it away from them with the fingers, as they keep better 

 if grown pretty much above the ground. There is no 

 crop more easily raised or preserved, if the ground is rich 

 enough, and the bulbs made to grow upon the surface. 

 After the young onions have got a good start, it is best 

 to drop the hoe entirely and resort to hand-weeding. In 

 dry weather, a thorough drenching in weak liquid ma- 

 nure, or soapsuds, is excellent. For pickling, the white 

 kind should be sown much more thickly, and thinned out 

 until about one or two inches apart in the row, which will 

 cause them to ripen early, before they have become too 

 large. 



If onions grow thick-necked, and do not bulb properly, 

 bend down the stems about two inches above the neck, to 

 the ground, without disturbing the roots. This is needful 

 only in very wet seasons. 



When the crop is ready for harvesting, it is known by 

 the drying up and change of color of the stems. 



To Preserve Them. — Pull them on a dry day, dry them 

 thoroughly in the shade, and stow them in a loft where 

 they can have plenty of air. W 7 hen thoroughly dry they 

 can be strung in ropes, made by braiding the tops to- 



