376 



CASSBLL'S POPULAE GAEDEJ^'INa. 



the heap, removing all which show symptoms of 

 decay, growing out at the apices, &c. Few vegetable 

 substances are more disagreeable than the Onion in 

 a state of putrefaction. Where crops are limited in 

 extent, many growers prefer to rope or bunch them 

 during spare intervals in winter, which is a com- 

 mendable plan, as it aids in prolonging their keeping 

 oualities when so treated and subsequently hung up 

 in cool mid-air. 



It will be convenient in this place to refer to the 

 culture of Onions for pickling. Choose a piece of 

 ground as exposed as possible, of a stony, poor 

 nature ; dig it up, make firm, and sow the seeds 

 thereon, either in drill-rows or broadcast. Drill-rows 

 are preferable, as the process of weeding is greatly 

 simplified. The seeds must be sown thickly, and 

 the whole seedling produce be permitted to grow 

 very thickly together ; poor ground and density of 

 crop resulting in a mass of minute bulbs such as are 

 required for the purpose here named. 



A yet simpler mode of obtaining pickling Onions, 

 admirably adapted for amateurs or other growers of 

 small quantities, consists in laying. in, as it is called, 

 the thinnings of the main crops in crowded rows of 

 from six to a dozen or more abreast. This is done 

 by the taking out of a small opening as for digging, 

 turning over a spadeful or so of earth, breaking the 

 dug surface fine, sloping it down regularly with the 

 spade towards the open trench, beating it firm and 

 smooth, and laying in the Onions thickly, with the 

 roots in the trench and the tops projecting a few 

 inches above the newly-dug ground. Then place a 

 little earth over the roots to hold them ia position, 

 invert a second spadeful of earth in front of the row 

 of Onions, break it in fine, smooth down and level as 

 before, insert a second row, and so on till the whole 

 of the thinnings intended for pickling are laid in. 

 All the attention that these inlaid Onions need 

 during the season is simply keeping clean, and 

 should dry weather ensue soon after inlaying, an 

 occasional watering. But they must by no means be 

 unduly stimulated, as otherwise they would out- 

 grow pickling size. The idea is to starve and crowd 

 them into sufficient smallness for pickling, and this 

 the overcrowding accomplishes. The competition 

 for food is so great, the struggle for life and room so 

 severe, that it is physically impossible for the Onions 

 to reach beyond pickling sizes. On the best and richest 

 soils favourable to the growth of Onions, this mode 

 of inlaying the thinnings in crowded masses is almost 

 the only means of growing pickling Onions, and it is 

 astonishing what quantities of good picklers these 

 crowded rows yield at the end of the growing season. 

 The process of harvesting is simply a repetition of 

 that explained for the main crop. 



Autumn-sown or spring and summer Onions 



require a separate and distinct treatment to the 

 above crops. Small beds are well prepared in a 

 somewhat sunny, sheltered part of the garden, 

 wherein seeds are sown somewhat thickly, broad- 

 cast, between August 4th and August 12th. The 

 young seedling plants resulting, kept free from 

 weeds, remain in the bed until required for trans- 

 planting. During the mouth of December or 

 January following, prepare a piece of ground, upon 

 an open exposed site, as liberally and well as possible. 

 Choose a fine period during the month of February 

 following, rake over this piece of ground so prepared, 

 draw very shallow marks or drill-rows across it 

 from five to six or nine inches asunder. Carefully take 

 up the young Onions in the seed-bed, and transplant 

 them along these drill-rows at from four to five inches 

 apart in the rows, according to how deeply and 

 well the ground has been prepared. When trans- 

 planting them, take care to only place the roots 

 firmly into the holes, as to unduly bury the 

 stalks , will act antagonistically as regards their 

 ultimate full and fine bulbing powers. See that 

 worms do not draw them out by the roots, keeping 

 the ground hoed and free from weeds when spring 

 arrives. Should any show signs of pushing up 

 flower-stems, remove such stems immediately ; bend 

 the necks of stiff ones down when the general crop 

 shows signs of ripening; draw and harvest about 

 midsummer, as advised for former crops. 



For the first division, or' spring-sown crop, good 

 selections of White Spanish, such as Nuneham Park, 

 are desirable. For later-keeping ones a portion 

 may consist of Main .Crop, James Keeping, and 

 Bedfordshire Champion. For picklers, White 

 Spanish, or White Nocera, The Queen, and SUver- 

 skinned ; and for autumn-sowing, Tripoli, or the 

 improved varieties, Neapolitan Marzajole, Giant 

 Eocca, and White Lisbon. 



The Potato Onion, a hardy variety, propagated 

 generally by division, treat similarly to Shallota, 

 upon deep, richground ; plant at distances of six or 

 eight inches apart. Onions are liable to attacks of 

 the Onion-fly, Anthomyia eeparum and humerus 

 ^neus. To deter their attacks scatter soot lightly 

 over the plants monthly, whilst growing. 



Parsnips [Pastinaca sativa). French, Panais; 

 German, Pastinake ; Spanish, Pastmaea. — The Par- 

 snip, or " Parsnep," as it used to be written, is a 

 British plant and a biennial, which succeeds best in 

 a deep rich loam of moderate consistency. According 

 to old authorities, a light soil suits it best. It will 

 succeed in such during rainy summers. To insure 

 heavy crops, however, it is essential to grow it upon 

 ground having sufficient consistency to hold and 

 maintain a liberal supply of latent moisture con- 



