THE ONION. 197 
ruary on a slight hotbed, or sometimes merely under a 
glass-frame. In the first or second week of April, accord- 
ing to the state of the weather, he transplanted the young 
-seedlings in rows, eight inches asunder, and at the distance 
of four or five inches in the row. Previous to planting, the 
roots of the seedlings were dipped in a puddle of one part 
of soot to three parts of earth, an expedient which was 
found useful in guarding the transplanted onions from the 
attack of the wire-worm. He found that onions thus 
treated attained a large size. 
The Poraro-Onion is propagated by the lateral bulbs, 
which it throws out, under ground, in considerable numbers, 
Jt may be planted about midwinter, and will ripen early in 
the summer. Its flavor is not unpleasant; but the plant, 
being rather troublesome in cultivation, is not likely to 
supersede the common onion. 
The Tree-Onion, introduced from Canada, is a vivipa- 
rous variety, producing small bulbs in place of flowers, 
but the bulbs are strong-scented. 
The PEar.-Onton, of recent introduction into England, 
and hitherto little known (Adduwm Hallerii,G. Don ?) pro- 
duces clusters or small bulbs at the root. These little 
bulbs are of a fine white color, like the silver-skinned, and 
very fit for pickling. 
The onion requires a very rich soil, and forms an excep- 
tion to most plants in regard to the necessity of changing 
the ground. Where the same patch has been kept well 
manured, heavy annual crops have been taken off for thirty 
or forty years successively. . 
In the Middle States, where a field crop is the object, 
the ground, after being heavily manured, is dug or plough- 
ed early in spring, well raked or harrowed, and divided 
into very shallow drills about nine inches apart, with 
